Forums http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums en Thu, 23 May 2013 17:54:13 GMT vBulletin 60 http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/images/misc/rss.jpg Forums http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums <![CDATA[Giants WR Nicks' Agent Says His Absence from OTAs is not Contract Related]]> http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131747&goto=newpost Thu, 23 May 2013 17:08:08 GMT Agent of New York Giants WR Hakeem Nicks Says His Absence from OTAs is not Contract Related May 23rd, 2013 at 11:18 AM By Dan Benton Peter... Agent of New York Giants WR Hakeem Nicks Says His Absence from OTAs is not Contract Related
May 23rd, 2013 at 11:18 AM
By Dan Benton

Peter Schaffer, the agent for New York Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks, says the Yahoo! Sports report that his client missed day one of Organized Team Activities (OTAs) because he's unhappy with his current contract, is absolutely false. However, Schaffer has declined to comment on why, exactly, Nicks did miss day one and is also expected to miss day two.

"New York Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks was honored as a hero in the New York area at an event Tuesday night, but missed the team's workout session Wednesday, which was erroneously reported by Yahoo! Sports as a form of protest for contractual reasons," Jason Cole, who wrote the original story, wrote on Thursday.

Cole claim his source has since clarified their stand with the following explanation:

"We've all talked about our contracts and the things we've been through, like what's going on with [wide receiver Victor] Cruz," the source said, referring to Cruz's refusal to sign a one-year restricted free agent tender for $2.879 million. "When you talk about money and what you think the team is doing right or wrong, sometimes feelings get really hard."

In addition to correcting his original story, Cole took to Twitter, saying "I misunderstood my source. I apologize for the error."

Errors in reporting happen; it's the nature of this business. Most of the time, these sorts of hiccups are overlooked and easily forgotten. For Cole however, this was a relatively large story that was only compounded by the ongoing contract situation with Victor Cruz. Accordingly, it caught national attention and was spread like the wildfire.

All that said, fans should find solace in this retraction and clarification, although one does have to wonder why he's not attending. ]]> NFL Jabber tjw61 http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131747 New York Giants Re-Sign Wide Receiver Ramses Barden http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131746&goto=newpost Thu, 23 May 2013 17:05:12 GMT New York Giants Re-Sign Wide Receiver Ramses Barden May 23rd, 2013 at 12:13 PM By Dan Benton Wide receiver Ramses Barden arrived in East... New York Giants Re-Sign Wide Receiver Ramses Barden
May 23rd, 2013 at 12:13 PM
By Dan Benton

Wide receiver Ramses Barden arrived in East Rutherford on Thursday morning to take a physical with the New York Giants, and all has apparently gone well. Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News reports that Big Blue has re-signed the wideout on what will likely be a one-year deal.

"Hot commodity…" Barden tweeted on Tuesday, possibly referring to interest from both the New York Giants and New York Jets.

Originally a third-round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, Barden has never even approached the ceiling many expected of him. His sole NFL start came in week three of the 2012 season against the Carolina Panthers (nine receptions for 138 yards), and it was the first and only time he demonstrated what many expected of him coming out of college.

He will now return to a situation similar to the one he felt it was best to leave: competing with the likes of Jerrel Jernigan, Rueben Randle and Louis Murphy for playing time. ]]> NFL Jabber tjw61 http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131746 LIVE CHAT: Join us for the Indianapolis 500 http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131740&goto=newpost Thu, 23 May 2013 16:22:39 GMT It's the greatest spectacle in racing and we're live-chatting it. Join us at 11:45 AM ET on Sunday for the 97th Indianapolis 500. There may even be a special appearance by one Jay Busbee, who is rumored to be in Indianapolis for the race. We'll see you then!

Indianapolis 500



From The Marbles ]]> General Sports Jabber Left Turn Louie http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131740 10 Videos Prove That Urlacher Was a Frightful Actor http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131737&goto=newpost Thu, 23 May 2013 15:56:36 GMT http://extramustard.si.com/2013/05/22/these-10-videos-prove-that-feared-linebacker-brian-urlacher-was-a-frightful-actor/?xid=si_nfl http://extramustard.si.com/2013/05/2...or/?xid=si_nfl ]]> NFL Jabber tjw61 http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131737 Will Chicago Bears field oldest starting group in NFL? http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131736&goto=newpost Thu, 23 May 2013 15:36:35 GMT Will Chicago Bears field oldest starting group in NFL? By Gregg Rosenthal Around The League Editor Published: May 23, 2013 at 08:43... Will Chicago Bears field oldest starting group in NFL?

By Gregg Rosenthal
Around The League Editor
Published: May 23, 2013 at 08:43 a.m.
Updated: May 23, 2013 at 09:33 a.m.

Most new coaches take over rosters that are ready to rebuild. That's not the case with the Chicago Bears.

Marc Trestman inherited a team that finished 10-6 last year and doesn't have a lot of quality young talent. ESPN.com's Mike Sando crunched the numbers, noting that the Bears have the oldest cumulative projected starting lineup in the entire NFL. This especially is true on defense, where Lance Briggs has assumed the leadership void left vacant by Brian Urlacher.

After the Bears, the next five-oldest teams by this measure -- projected starters -- all made the playoffs last year: Atlanta Falcons, Houston Texans, Washington Redskins, Denver Broncos and New England Patriots. The Arizona Cardinals are the next-oldest non-playoff team. Some other thoughts from the list, which I find strangely fascinating.

» Seattle Seahawks fans have to be thrilled. Not only are they looking like a potential juggernaut, they are the fourth-youngest group of starters. The St. Louis Rams, set up for a nice long run with a great-looking defense, are the second-youngest.

» The Green Bay Packers and Cincinnati Bengals are two other playoff teams with very young core players.

» The Redskins somehow feel like a younger team because of Robert Griffin III, but in reality they are built around many aging free agents.

» The Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills fit the mold as rebuilding young teams. The Browns had the youngest projected starters in the NFL.

» The Pittsburgh Steelers had the oldest defense in the NFL and the 30th-oldest projected starters on offense. And that's after the Steelers let go of some defensive stalwarts. ]]> NFL Jabber tjw61 http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131736 Giants FB Henry Hynoski to undergo surgery on MCL http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131735&goto=newpost Thu, 23 May 2013 15:32:35 GMT Giants FB Henry Hynoski to undergo surgery on MCL By Josh Katzowitz | NFL Writer May 23, 2013 11:13 am ET Giants fullback Henry Hynoski injured... Giants FB Henry Hynoski to undergo surgery on MCL
By Josh Katzowitz | NFL Writer
May 23, 2013 11:13 am ET

Giants fullback Henry Hynoski injured himself at the team's first OTA practice on Wednesday after banging knees with running back Andre Brown. On Thursday, the team announced that Hynoski will undergo surgery on his left leg.

Which means Hynoski likely will miss all of the team's offseason workouts.

From the team's release:

“The exam and tests showed that Hynoski suffered an injury to his medial collateral ligament and a chip fracture to the lateral plateau. Hynoski will undergo surgery on Friday to repair the ligament and the fracture."

Hynoski, though, is interested in returning by Week 1.

“I am going to set my mind to being ready for the first game of the regular season,” Hynoski said in the team statement. “They said that is not an unrealistic goal, and I will do everything in my power to be ready for the start of the season.”

Most likely, Bear Pascoe, the tight end who can also fill in at fullback, will replace Hynoski.

Hopefully for Giants fans, Hynoski will be back to doing his Rhino end-zone celebration before you know it. ]]> NFL Jabber tjw61 http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131735 Chuck Norris: Tim Tebow should be Jacksonville Jaguar http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131734&goto=newpost Thu, 23 May 2013 15:17:03 GMT Chuck Norris: Tim Tebow should be Jacksonville Jaguar By Dan Hanzus Around the League Writer Published: May 22, 2013 at 10:09 p.m. ... Chuck Norris: Tim Tebow should be Jacksonville Jaguar

By Dan Hanzus
Around the League Writer
Published: May 22, 2013 at 10:09 p.m.
Updated: May 23, 2013 at 10:00 a.m.

Chuck Norris has shared his feelings about Tim Tebow. Finally.

The martial arts legend, Hollywood action star, random fact-generator inspiration and occasional bearer of very bad news recently wrote an opinion column -- a manifesto really -- on his remarkably deep well of feelings for Tim Tebow.

Seriously. Chuck Norris really likes Tim Tebow. He needed 1,463 words to express his admiration for the free-agent quarterback, whom he once sent a congratulatory letter. It reads like he could've went on for a few thousand words more.

Here's a taste of the essay, titled "The Ultimate Clutch Player":

"I've heard the so-called critics say Tebow has poor technical skills, but the truth is that Tim is a natural-born leader, an amazingly gifted football player, an inspiration to his team and the possessor of intense determination and strategy to bring any team to victory -- no matter what the odds," Chuck Norris wrote on WND.com. "One can improve technique, but leadership is innate. That is why I believe Tebow could be a superstar and legend in the NFL."

You need more, don't you? Yeah, you do.

Where Tim Tebow plays next season is anyone's guess, so Gregg Rosenthal will keep you updated on everything until the QB signs a deal. More ...

"Tebow is a player who rises to the occasion and delivers big in critical game moments," wrote Chuck Norris. "He reminds me of myself when I used to compete in martial arts. I would spar with my black belts in class, and sometimes they would outscore me.

"Yet in the tournaments, I would defeat them. My students used to ask me, 'Why can we contend equally against you in class, but we can't beat you in the tournaments?' My answer was always the same, 'When it counts, I rise to the occasion.' "

As a writer, Chuck Norris is noticeably fact-driven ("In 2010, the first-round draft pick out of the University of Florida, signed a five-year contract with the Denver Broncos"), though he leans heavily on the opinions of others, including our own Akbar Gbajabiamila, who is cited as gospel in multiple passages here. Understandably, this is something of a life pinnacle for Akbar -- who ironically moonlights as a co-host of the show "American Ninja Warrior," which Chuck Norris basically is.

Things really get surreal (and that's saying something) when Chuck Norris turns his attention to Shad Khan and the poor Jacksonville Jaguars, the team he believes Tebow should be leading. Martin Luther King Jr. is name-checked at one point, because, why wouldn't an iconic civil rights leader enter the mix?

"So let me respectfully challenge Mr. Khan to consider these words from Dr. King: 'There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.'

"I know Khan, (general manager David) Caldwell and (coach Gus) Bradley have talked, and they know that hiring Tebow would be right --right for them, right for the team, right for the fans and right for Florida."

I Have A Dream ... that Chuck Norris never stops writing rambling manifestos about the NFL. ]]> NFL Jabber tjw61 http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131734 The pressure index http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131733&goto=newpost Thu, 23 May 2013 15:05:13 GMT The pressure index While the expectations vary for each, these 12 teams have the most to lose in 2013. Joe Fortenbaugh May 17, 2013, 05:30 AM... The pressure index

While the expectations vary for each, these 12 teams have the most to lose in 2013.
Joe Fortenbaugh
May 17, 2013, 05:30 AM EST


Pressure is felt is just about every walk of life. That’s not to say it’s always present, but at some point pressure will find you and it will weigh on you. Jobs, families, sweating out the final two minutes of Thursday night’s Kings-Sharks thriller—pressure is completely and utterly inescapable over the long haul.

The members of the NFL family know this fact all too well. Front office personnel, coaches, players, hell even the fans feel the pressure that accompanies the win-at-all-costs mentality of professional football.

But depending upon the situation, some in the NFL will feel the pressure more than others. As we continue our approach towards the 2013 season, here are the 12 teams we believe will be feeling the most heat in the coming months.

12. Miami Dolphins: No more rookie quarterback, no more first-year head coach, no more mundane offense. But more importantly, the Miami front office sent a message this past winter when the team shelled out $121 million on free agents Mike Wallace ($60 million), Dannell Ellerbe ($35 million) and Phillip Wheeler ($26 million). Spend that kind of money and people are going to expect results. The Dolphins don’t need to win 12 games in 2013, but the team has to show significant improvement over last year’s respectable 7-9 season.

What must be accomplished: Miami has posted just one winning season over the last seven years (2008). 8-8 or better should suffice.

11. Chicago Bears: The only team with a first-year head coach to make this list, offensive guru Marc Trestman and quarterback Jay Cutler have to find a way to jump start this Chicago offense. Since joining the team in 2009, Cutler and the Bears have ranked 23rd or worse in the NFL in total offense each season. Wide receiver Alshon Jeffery is entering his second professional campaign, tight end Martellus Bennett was acquired during free agency and the offensive line received a much-needed facelift with the additions of Jermon Bushrod, Matt Slauson and rookie Kyle Long. Even if linebacker Brian Urlacher re-signs with the club, Chicago’s identity will no longer be tied to the defensive side of the football.

What must be accomplished: Finish the season in the top-12 in total offense, get back to the playoffs.

10. New York Jets: With a first-year general manager and a rookie quarterback likely to take the reins at some point during the season, the only person feeling the heat in New York this season is head coach Rex Ryan. But the pressure is going to trickle down to the rest of the organization if Ryan can’t find a way to eliminate the Ringling Brothers-like atmosphere that has plagued this team over the last two years. The unfulfilled Super Bowl guarantees, the demise of Mark Sanchez and the Tim Tebow debacle need to become a thing of the past. It’s the only way this franchise can start to move forward.

What must be accomplished: No more talk, no more drama and a definitive answer on who will start at quarterback for the foreseeable future. Keep the mouths shut and play hard-nosed football. The rest will take care of itself.

9. Cincinnati Bengals: One of the pleasant surprises to emerge as of late, the Bengals have gone 19-13 during the regular season over the last two years, earning back-to-back trips to the postseason for the first time since 1981-1982. The team looks to have a franchise quarterback in Andy Dalton, one of the league’s best receivers in A.J. Green and a top-notch defense that ranked sixth in the NFL in yards allowed last season (319.7 yds/gm). But after falling at Houston in the wild card round in each of the last two years, the time has come for this franchise to take the next step.

What must be accomplished: Win at least one playoff game.

8. Tennessee Titans: A 9-7 start to the Mike Munchak era had the Titans headed in the right direction, but everything since has amounted to repeated steps in the wrong direction. The team failed to land free agent quarterback Peyton Manning during the 2012 offseason and then proceeded to go 6-10 with first-round selection Jake Locker, ranking 26th in the league in total offense and 27th in total defense. Munchak escaped the firing squad and has been retained for another season, but he’s on thin ice and owner Bud Adams is nearby wielding a sledgehammer. This season will tell us whether it was 2011 or 2012 that was the anomaly.

What must be accomplished: An 8-8 record for sure, and even that may not be good enough.

Cam NewtonTime for Cam Newton and company to put a winning record up on the board.

7. Carolina Panthers: The country was predicting big things for the Panthers after rookie quarterback Cam Newton set the league on fire in 2011, but Carolina followed up a commendable 6-10 season with just seven wins in 2012. Granted, the team showed some guts by winning five of their final six contests, but a 1-6 start proved far too much to overcome. Now entering their third seasons, head coach Ron Rivera and Newton need to show the league that the Panthers are a legitimate playoff contender. Anything short of 8-8 will be considered a failure.

What must be accomplished: A winning record with at least three divisional victories.

6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: You can’t spend the kind of money Tampa Bay has doled out over the last two years and not expect to attract a significant amount of attention. Vincent Jackson, Carl Nicks, Eric Wright, Dashon Goldson, Darrelle Revis…the list goes on and on. And while last year’s 7-9 record under rookie head coach Greg Schiano wasn’t a complete disappointment, the fact that the Buccaneers collapsed down the stretch for the second season in a row has raised some red flags. Tampa Bay plays in a brutal division, but the holes in the secondary have been plugged and the offense has more than enough firepower to light up the scoreboard. It’s time for the opposition to worry about a matchup with the Bucs, not laugh.

What must be accomplished: .500 or better over the months of November and December with a defense that ranks in the top-10 against the pass.

5. Detroit Lions: Remember that 10-6 season in 2011 that culminated with a trip to the playoffs? Remember how we stopped making jokes at the Lions’ expense? Yeah, well, those days were short-lived as Detroit reverted back to their old ways last season with a 4-12 campaign that had the organization right back in the NFC North cellar. The Lions haven’t won a playoff game since 1991. Think about that for a second. The last time this organization tasted success in the postseason, “I Wanna Sex You Up,” by Color Me Badd was the No. 2 song in the country. That’s the type information that warrants a prescription for Prozac.

What must be accomplished: End the drought, shock the world and win a playoff game already.

4. Atlanta Falcons: Had Matt Bryant not drilled that 49-yarder with eight seconds remaining in the NFC divisional round against the Seahawks, Atlanta would be No. 1 on this list. But Bryant connected, the Falcons had their first playoff win of the Matt Ryan-Mike Smith era and the franchise bought itself a sliver of breathing room. Now it’s time to take another step forward. Otherwise, this team is going to become the 2001-2003 Philadelphia Eagles.

What must be accomplished: A return to the NFC Championship game at a minimum. A spot in the Super Bowl preferably.

Gary KubiakOne playoff win is no longer good enough for Gary Kubiak and the Texans.

3. Houston Texans: Had the Texans not hired former Dallas Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips to run their defense prior to the 2011 season, there’s no doubt that Houston boss Gary Kubiak would have been sent packing. That’s how much Phillips and this new-look defense have meant to the franchise. Back-to-back trips to the postseason have been nice and a franchise-record 12 wins in 2012 was even nicer. But beating up on Cincinnati at home and then getting railed by the big boys the following week in each of the last two postseasons has run its course. Once again, time is running out on Kubiak.

What must be accomplished: A spot in the AFC Championship game.

2. Dallas Cowboys: Tony Romo is getting paid like a Super Bowl-winning quarterback without having won the Super Bowl. Jason Garrett is still the head coach despite coming up short in Week 17 play-in games in each of the past two seasons. Jerry Jones continues to tell us that these two guys are in the long-term plans for the Dallas Cowboys. But the bottom line is that this is an organization that has been to the postseason just once over the last five years and has notched only one playoff victory since 1996.

What must be accomplished: Expectations should be higher, but one playoff win is more than enough considering this team’s recent history.

1. Denver Broncos: No matter how many times it’s been uttered, it still bears repeating: The Denver Broncos won more playoff games with Tim Tebow under center than they did with Peyton Manning. As played-out as that statement is, you can’t help but think about it after last year’s colossal failure at Mile High. The Broncos tore through the regular season with their new $20 million quarterback, but an ultra-conservative game plan coupled with critical errors on both sides of the ball against the Ravens left this team with as many postseason victories in 2012 as the Jacksonville Jaguars. 13 or more wins during the regular season means absolutely nothing. For Denver in 2013, it’s all about what happens in January and February.

What must be accomplished: A trip to the Super Bowl. ]]> NFL Jabber tjw61 http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131733 <![CDATA[Teams not buying 'Easter Bunny' excuse for moving NFL Draft to May]]> http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131730&goto=newpost Thu, 23 May 2013 14:29:04 GMT Teams not buying 'Easter Bunny' excuse for moving NFL Draft to May

BOSTON -- Even if you happen to believe in the Easter Bunny theory, or that the NFL had to move next year's draft to May solely because of a scheduling conflict with a Radio City Music Hall "Spring Spectacular'' show, there's more than a reasonable doubt within the league about the wisdom of adopting such a change on a long-term basis, as is being contemplated.

That much became quickly apparent at Tuesday's one-day NFL owners meeting at a Boston airport hotel, at least in the view of the numerous general managers and club front office executives who weighed in on the latest change to the NFL's offseason calendar. Basically, it will add another two or three weeks to the draft season in 2014, and pegs the first round as falling on either May 8 or May 15, to be determined in the coming week.

Here's what also became quickly apparent Tuesday: Once the league holds the draft in May, it's almost certainly in May to stay. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in his post-meeting news conference that in order for the draft to revert to a fourth week of April schedule, it would have to leave New York for another site, due to the expectation of scheduling conflicts with the Radio City Easter-based extravaganza. Even though Easter is a holiday that moves around each year, and can fall anywhere from March 22 to April 25.

In other words, the NFL wants its draft in May going forward.

"You'd be hard-pressed to find any football-side person in the league in favor of it,'' said one AFC general manager, who requested anonymity. "Unless you consider having more time for draft preparation a benefit, more time for paralysis by analysis, there's nothing to like. I've tried to think of one (positive), but I haven't yet.''

And to the idea that the league is taking this step with the draft only because an Easter-season show booked the venue that the NFL has owned in late April for the past eight years, that rationale is being met with a healthy amount of skepticism, to say the least.

"The league coming out and saying this is because of the Easter Bunny and the show is almost embarrassing,'' one NFC club executive said. "This is the NFL. You think we couldn't get those dates or make something work if we really wanted to? This is about moving the draft into May for (TV network) sweeps month. I'd rather somebody be honest and come out and just admit that it's about ratings and TV issues. But I get it. I suppose we all should be thankful in that everybody in the league benefits financially when the league has success from a TV perspective.''

For now, the draft's move to early or mid-May is being termed a temporary one, for only 2014, NFL competition committee member Stephen Jones of the Cowboys said. No other final decisions on schedule alterations have been determined. But the Dallas team vice president, and son of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, admitted that the draft could find a permanent home earlier in May, and that the league continues to seek NFL players union approval for an adjustment to the league's offseason calendar in terms of moving up the start of the league year, before the annual scouting combine is held in Indianapolis. The effect would be to lengthen both free agency and the draft season.

"The May 15 date may wind up being just a one-year deal, with the draft moving after that to maybe the first week of May,'' said Jones, during a mid-day lunch break. "So at the end of the day, you might be talking about only a week's difference compared to this year's draft (which was held April 25-27). I understand that some football people are opposed to it and pushing back, because nobody really wants change. You don't ever want to do anything to compromise the game, but at the same time our fans are important to us and it's important to make them happy as well. My view would be obviously there's always angst in change, but I don't think we're doing anything at the end of the day to compromise our product.''

But some team officials have exactly those concerns, citing the shorter time span that teams will have to work with their incoming rookie class, and the potential loss of a rookie mini-camp if the mid-May draft window becomes permanent. Add in that football decision-makers don't seem to think a few more weeks worth of draft preparation will produce anything but more over-kill and over-analysis in the scouting process, and the ever-shortening time frame that coaches and club officials have to squeeze in down time and summer vacations, and the opposition to the calendar changes figures to be substantial.

"It's going to happen in 2014 due to the scheduling conflict, but everything after that is going to be a big battle,'' one league executive said. "The football ops people will raise hell. There are a bunch of issues in play here, so don't think that it's done. Coaches and front office executives aren't going to like not having their hands on their new players for another two or three weeks.

"They'll say, 'Hey, we need to get our hands on them and we need to coach them.' So this could wind up having an effect on some integrity of the game issues, and we need to listen to that. There's a lot of ground to cover on this and there's a long way to go. This isn't over at all.''

The thought of moving the prime-time rating bonanza that the draft has been the past three years into the lucrative May sweeps period, with its higher advertising dollars to be gained, has to be attractive to the NFL. But the league is said also to be focused on further stretching out the glamor components of its nearly seven-month offseason, with an extended draft season keeping the focus on football as long as possible.

In his session with the media, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the league has not identified a venue in New York that could serve as a substitute site for the draft if Radio City is not annually available going forward in late April. The draft has been held in New York in every year of the Super Bowl era, and last wasn't in the city in 1964, when it was conducted in Chicago.

"We don't see any choice for 2014 but to select one of those two dates,'' Goodell said, of the May 8 or May 15 scenarios. "Beyond that, if we want to move the draft back into the April period, we're going to have to look at other cities, other venues, and we will begin that process also. We haven't found a location in New York that meets our requirements so we can continue to grow the event.''

Moving the draft is just part of the master plan the league envisions regarding its offseason calendar, but the meeting in Boston ended without any decision made on if the combine will now follow the start of free agency, rather than precede it by about two weeks or so, as it traditionally has. Goodell said he will be in contact with the players union in coming weeks to negotiate a new early offseason schedule for the league.

"We think there's great benefits to that,'' said Goodell, of moving the combine and the start of the league year/free agency. "We think that's a good change for the fans and for football.''

The NFL will need union approval in order to change the start of the league year, which occurred on March 12 this year, but the commissioner can alter the dates for the draft and the scouting combine without the union being involved, if the league choose to go that route. Moving the start of the league year, and the opening of free agency, ahead of the combine would be one way to do away with the widespread tampering that historically has been practiced at the combine.

"I don't think we're ready to be committed to what our ultimate goals are on the schedule, with the draft, the combine, the start of the league year, the regional combines and how that whole calendar fits together in the spring,'' Jones said. "I think that still needs work.''

But if the league office gets its way, it does seem likely that the draft is not returning to an April schedule, no matter what happens on the front end of the league calendar with free agency and the combine. And that's not going to be well-received in the front offices and coaching staffs of the NFL.

"We're all creatures of habit in this league, and we like things the way they are,'' the NFC club executive said. "Anything new is not going to be popular. We already have too much time to do draft analysis as is, and now maybe we're going to have another three weeks of it? Next week we actually start working on next year's draft, but if the draft isn't held until mid-May, that work doesn't even begin until June. And then it's only late June or early July when things finally slow down.''

One club general manager predicted it would be the coaching staffs around the league fighting against the change in offseason schedule most vehemently, but conceded the league office usually gets its way on these matters. New York Giants co-owner John Mara, without ever mentioning his highly-regimented head coach, Tom Coughlin, by name, said everyone in the NFL will eventually adjust to the changes.

"It just changes the way we've been doing things for years, but I don't think it's a (major issue),'' Mara said. "I think if we do it, we're going to do it for the long haul, but that remains to be seen. They (coaches) all adapt. Any time you change anything, you have certain coaches and other football people who think it's the end of the world. But you know what? They always manage to adapt.'' ]]> NFL Jabber tjw61 http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131730 Kevin Durant’s giant back tattoo is finished, may (or may not) include misspelling http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131729&goto=newpost Thu, 23 May 2013 13:56:19 GMT Well... this has gotta suck... http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/kevin-durant-giant-back-tattoo-finished-nearly-two-171132373.html Well... this has gotta suck...

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ba...171132373.html ]]> Robert http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131729 Saints had an OLB all Along http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131727&goto=newpost Thu, 23 May 2013 12:22:56 GMT Around draft time when everyone was calling for a passrusher, I had the feeling that they had an idea of what they were going to do already and I... Around draft time when everyone was calling for a passrusher, I had the feeling that they had an idea of what they were going to do already and I viewed it much like the offense where they rotate people around. Will Smith took a big paycut and they decided to keep him around, which should of made it obvious that they had a plan for him...

Quote:
NEW ORLEANS -- The Saints began their transition to a 3-4 defense on Monday with the biggest change being defensive captain Will Smith working at outside linebacker, rather than the defensive end spot at which he has played his whole career.

"That's where we'll start him," coach Sean Payton said, noting that outside linebackers often play pass-rushing roles in a 3-4 scheme. "We can play him right and left, but I think initially that right outside position would be very similar to what he's played for us in the past."

Payton said he envisions veteran Jonathan Vilma as one of the two middle linebackers in the new scheme.
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/92...ft-3-4-defense ]]> NFL Jabber Lee http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131727 Warped Wednesday: Hall voters unanimously elect Jimmie Johnson pending future retirem http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131719&goto=newpost Thu, 23 May 2013 04:21:27 GMT

Welcome to Warped Wednesday. On this, we'll put out the rush to judgment mat, go a little too far and have a little fun. Will it be funny? Sometimes. Will it be crazy and largely unbelievable? Probably. Will not everyone get it? Definitely.

Just days after his dominating win in the final segment of the Sprint All-Star Race, the NASCAR Hall of Fame voting panel made a statement about Johnson's NASCAR prowess during Wednesday's Hall of Fame voting.

The panel, led by a prominent NASCAR figure who shall remain nameless because of the secret nature of the vote, petitioned NASCAR officials to hold a vote on Johnson's election today. The panel argued that there is no better time to acknowledge Johnson's dominance* than while he was currently driving.

Also, the election of Johnson now saves the panel time down the road after Johnson's retirement. While Johnson has no plans of retiring anytime soon, any future Hall vote would be a formality, so this was simply a move to go through the motions and get the voting process over with.

Unlike Richard Petty and Dale Inman, Chad Knaus' Hall induction is also tied to Johnson's. (Inman was elected after Petty.) That was the day's lengthiest discussion, but it was ultimately decided that it'd be most appropriate that Knaus be inducted with Johnson.

But those two decisions aren't the most controversial. That distinction belongs to the contentious decision to allow Johnson and Knaus to skip the post-retirement waiting period. After three hours of debate, involving lots of screaming, cursing and enough flying spittle from those shouts to fill up a five gallon bucket, the panel voted 28-27 to induct Knaus and Johnson into the Hall of Fame immediately following their last race. Yes, there will be a separate Hall of Fame Lane set up next to victory lane for the induction ceremonies.

The panel also voted to not let the Fox graphic before the All-Star Race final segment anywhere near the Hall of Fame. A grassroots movement to create the NASCAR Hall of Shame formed, where the graphic and broken parts would live, but it didn't gain enough traction to be seriously considered.



From The Marbles ]]> General Sports Jabber Left Turn Louie http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131719 Who WIns? Heat Beats Pacers in OT 103-102 http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131716&goto=newpost Thu, 23 May 2013 04:01:45 GMT MIAMI (AP)—LeBron James made a layup as time expired in overtime, and the Miami Heat found a way to beat the Indiana Pacers 103-102 in a wild Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals Wednesday night.

James finished with 30 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for the Heat—his ninth postseason triple-double, and barely anyone noticed. All that mattered was the last shot, which simply saved the Heat.

Paul George made three free throws with 2.2 seconds left in the overtime, which he forced with a miracle 3-pointer, to give the Pacers the lead. But James just drove down the left side of the lane, scored with ease and the Heat escaped.


Game 2 is Friday night in Miami. ]]> Deb http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131716 I take my steak with a side of _______. http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131715&goto=newpost Thu, 23 May 2013 02:50:56 GMT Fill in the blank please. :tophat: Fill in the blank please. :tophat: ]]> Random Jabber Deb http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131715 Nominations for May MOTM http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131714&goto=newpost Thu, 23 May 2013 02:31:48 GMT I know. What the heck. I am early for a change. But you know the drill. This thread is for nominations. Nominate the person YOU think went above and... I know. What the heck. I am early for a change. But you know the drill. This thread is for nominations. Nominate the person YOU think went above and beyond their jabberhead duty in May, along with a short few sentences on why you think they deserve the nomination.

Also your nominee can't have won in the past 12 calendar months. If you are unsure click on member awards on the nav bar.

Have at it. :-) ]]> Deb http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=131714