Archive for the Top Stories Category
Posted on May 17, 2011 by James W
In the sport of football rules are always changing. Despite the lockout the NFL competition committee is going to present a number of rules that need to be changed in the NFL. The biggest change that will be presented is it upgraded rule change to help improve player safety.
All rule changes will be made at the owner meeting which will take place in Indianapolis. The meeting was originally scheduled for March but was postponed due to the lockout.
The biggest change that will be proposed is banning the illegal launching from any defensive player that allows them to leave their feet to hit or obtain the ball from the carrier. This has long been a point of interest in regards to player safety as many football players have received injuries from performing this defensive action.
This new safety rule will be presented at the owners meeting as three different rules. This will increase the chance of the motive to be passed should the owners wish to pass it. In order for the rule to change it must get a vote of 24 of the 32 current owners.
When this rule change was initially announced many players were reluctant to advocate for it because they believed that it was not addressed properly. However, the competition committee has taken all concerns into account and separated the rules into three sections to address all concerns.
The NFL competition committee has been looking at eliminating unnecessary roughness from the sport of football. This new rule change will be a step in the right direction to helping ensure the safety of all professional football players.
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Technorati Tags: NFL, safety rule, sports
Posted on April 30, 2011 by James W
Matt Hasselbeck has been clean for the Seattle Seahawks for the past nine seasons and is hoping to make his upcoming tenth season one with the same team he has called home. The problem is that Matt Hasselbeck was unable to come to an agreement with the Seattle Seahawks before the NFL league was dissolved a month ago.
The recent NFL lockout has caused many problems with the contract negotiation between Hasselbeck and the Seahawks. One of the biggest problems with the lockout is that the rules could completely change on all parties involved and could cause problems with the contract negotiations.
There have been rumors circulating the Seattle Seahawks have been on the lookout for younger quarterback to replace the aging Matt Hasselbeck. These rumors started as a result of Hasselbeck’s constant injuries last season and the fact that the Seahawks often favored backup quarterback Charlie Whitehurst for games of importance.
With the NFL draft on the horizon, many NFL experts believe that the Seattle Seahawks and team coach Pete Carroll could be on the lookout for a fresh quarterback for the team, leaving Hasselbeck looking for a new job.
Matt Hasselbeck has expressed his interest in wanting to stay for 10 season the Seattle Seahawks but with the recent lockout and the high stakes that he was asking for during preliminary contract negotiations could lead the NFL football team to look elsewhere for talent. If that were to happen Matt Hasselbeck has already been quoted as saying that he wouldn’t mind sharing the spotlight with a younger quarterback or even starting on another NFL team for the next season, that is if the NFL can sort out there problems and there is a next season.
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Technorati Tags: Matt Hasselbeck, NFL football team, Seattle Seahawk
Posted on April 27, 2011 by James W
While the NFL is in lockout and contract negotiations between teams and players might be at a standstill, that hasn’t caused many of the NFL teams from making behind the seeing changes on the coaching side of the game. This past week the Tennessee Titans have made some big changes, especially in regards to the general manager position.
This week the Tennessee Titans decided to extend the general manager contract for Mike Reinfeldt to 2014. The current contract is expected to expire sometime in 2011 but with the recent extension it prolongs the general manager position for another three years. Mike Reinfeldt joined the Tennessee Titans in 2007 after being a general manager for the Seattle Seahawks.
His stay as general manager certificate and has not been an easy one. In the past two years the Titans have failed to make any playoffs and have struggled with both coaching staff and players. However, the decision to keep Mike Reinfeldt is one that the Tennessee Titans sticking to because of the respect and knowledge that he could bring to the game.
Other changes that have come up with the Tennessee Titans is the coaching staff change. Jeff Fisher is no longer the coach but being replaced by Mike Munchak. Another big change for the team is the change in quarterback. Vince Young will be traded as soon as the lockout is unlocked and the team will look for a seasoned veteran from another team or could pull it’s resources and choose a younger quarterback from the April NFL draft that is coming up.
There are big changes on the horizon for the Tennessee Titans. Who knows what 2011 will have in store for this team.
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Technorati Tags: Mike Munchak, Mike Reinfeldt, Tennessee Titans
Posted on April 25, 2011 by James W
The current NFL lockout has caused all NFL teams to halt talks between players and teams, and even resulted in all the teams locking out all NFL workout and training facilities. However, that won’t stop the St. Louis Rams from figuring out a way to get their defensive workout in.
The two main defensive team players, cornerback Ron Bartell and linebacker James Laurinaitis have started to schedule and plan regular defensive workout routines for all players despite the lockout. Most NFL teams will usually engage in on the field workouts and training after the NFL draft and mini-camps, however all that is put on hold due to the labor dispute and the lockout.
The style of workout and training that the two players have planned will be very similar to what the players would receive if the lockout had not occurred. Both players are looking for a current location for the workouts and figure even without physically working out all defensive players can talk through defensive strategies and keep them fresh for the next season should it start on time.
Labor negotiations between the NFL team owners and player’s association broke down last month resulting in a lockout of the whole NFL. Players were barred from training facilities which could result in a drastic decrease in physical activity and training of all players involved. However, the St. Louis Rams are on top of the gaming staying with regular workouts and keeping in constant contact with other team members despite the lockout.
It looks like the St. Louis Rams will be ready to go physically and mentally should the NFL lockout stop anytime soon.
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Technorati Tags: NFL draft, NFL lockout, NFL teams
Posted on April 23, 2011 by James W
NFL Network
Every year the NFL Network rolls out its Thursday Night Football schedule and despite the NFL lockout the cable premium channel has announced it’s 2011 Thursday Night Football schedule.
The Thursday Night Football schedule will contain eight regular-season football teams. These teams all feature playoff teams from the 2010 season. The teams involved in the Thursday Night Football schedule include the Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, Pittsburgh Steelers and the Indianapolis Colts. These games with the exception of one game will be held on Thursday evening and one game will be held on Saturday night.
The Thursday Night Football schedule looks as follows:
Novemeber 10, 2011 the Oakland Raiders versus the San Diego Chargers.
Denver Broncos versus New York Giants on November 17, 2011.
Severn Cisco 49ers versus the Baltimore Ravens on November 24, 2011.
Philadelphia Eagles versus Seattle Seahawks on December 1, 2011.
Cleveland Browns versus Pittsburgh Steelers on December 8, 2011.
Jacksonville Jaguars versus Atlanta Falcons on December 15, 2011.
Dallas Cowboys versus Tampa Bay Buccaneers on December 17, 2011.
Houston Texans versus Indianapolis Colts on December 22, 2011.
The NFL Network has Broadcasted regular-season primetime games for over the past six years. Each game includes a two hour pre-game show, the entire matchup between the teams and a post-game show. The post-game show usually contains interviews with players and coaches, an analysis of the game that was just played. Some of the most talked about games in the history of the NFL have been broadcasted on the NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football schedule and with so many 2010 playoff teams involved with the 2011 schedule there is sure to be games that are most talked about this year.
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Technorati Tags: NFL lockout, NFL Network, Night Football
Posted on April 20, 2011 by James W
With the NFL lockout and no collective bargaining agreement in place makes many people wonder what is going on in the world of the NFL. However, even without a collective bargaining agreement and current NFL lockout teams and general managers are still scoping the field for prospective players.
This year at the NFL’s draft the collective bargaining agreement means that current NFL players cannot trade teams until one is in place. However, general managers and NFL team coaches have started to show a tremendous amount of interest in other teams potential draft picks.
Bill Belichick, the coach for the New England Patriots, mentioned in an interview that was conducted earlier in the month that there was an increased amount of interest in potential NFL draft picks.
While NFL teams traditionally make trades with each other for draft picks and people who join their team, it is believed this year there could be an increase in trades. With the NFL lockout in place no NFL team is doing anything. However, the 2011 NFL Draft is still in place and teams can still sign and trade draft picks.
NFL experts believe that since there is a lack of trading and action in the NFL due to the lockout that teams will be more likely to trade on draft day just so they feel as if they are accomplishing something for the proposed 2011 season. However, as most trades and NFL draft talk doesn’t really happen until the week leading up to the draft, NFL fans and experts will have to wait to see if this increased draft interest even happens or if it is all speculation.
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Technorati Tags: 2011 NFL draft, Bill Belichick, NFL teams
Posted on April 17, 2011 by James W
Legal troubles and being an NFL player go hand in hand. Almost like peanut butter and jelly. So it was no surprise that the Tennessee Titans wide receiver Kenny Britt was being charged with a laundry list of misdemeanors and felonies from a traffic stop in New Jersey.
This past Thursday, the New Jersey prosecutor announced that it would be reviewing all charges are brought against the wide receiver for the Tennessee Titans. The charges stem from an arrest that with me last week in Bayonne, New Jersey.
Kenny Britt, who was in his New Jersey hometown, was caught going over 70 miles an hour in a 55 mile lower speed zone. When police tried to stop the wide receiver he lead them on a police chase that had reported speeds of 75 miles an hour and up. Once caught the police booked him for alluding an officer, hindering apprehension and obstructing the function of the government.
Kenny Britt appeared before a New Jersey courtroom and entered no plea to the charges that were brought against him. Both him and his attorney have failed to comment on the incident.
The New Jersey prosecutor will review the charges and decide if there’s legal standing to pursue a court case against Kenny Britt. Should the prosecutor decide to go forward the wide receiver Tennessee Titans could face a maximum of five years per charge, or a minimum of no jail time and probation or suspension of license.
Kenny Britt has been known for his wild driving in the past. He has taken police on several high-speed chases and even been arrested for outstanding traffic tickets. This new charge is no surprise for the fast running wide receiver.
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Technorati Tags: Kenny Britt, NFL player, Tennessee Titans
Posted on April 15, 2011 by James W
Mike Munchak
Generally when new coaches come to an NFL team they have a little bit of time to work with the players see what potential there NFL roster has. However, the recent NFL lockout has made it incredibly difficult for NFL coaches to assess their roster and see what potential the players have.
The latest coaching change which was that of the Tennessee Titans appointing coach Mike Munchak to the position of head coach. Mike Munchak was originally the offensive line coach but promoted this year to head coach after the 2010 season.
Being unable to work with the NFL roster in person has presented a new challenge to the new coach. With the 2011 NFL draft on the horizon is hard for the new Tennessee Titans coach to know exactly what holes to fill for the team. Without being able to see the players play in front of him Mike Munchak needs to make educated guesses as to what the weaknesses are on his team and where new talent could really help out.
There are two things that are on Mike Munchak’s side. First, unlike a brand-new coach Mike Munchak is already familiar with the offensive line for the Tennessee Titans and can use that to make decisions in the draft. Second, Mike Munchak is doing what all the other coaches are doing during the lockout and relying upon videotaped games to see where weaknesses are on the team and what new players could benefit the team based off of last year’s performance and where it looks like they could use extra strength.
It’s a new way of picking 2011 picks but due to the lockout coaches need to adapt in order to prepare for the upcoming season.
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Technorati Tags: 2011 NFL draft, Mike Munchak, New Tennessee Titans
Posted on April 12, 2011 by James W
When it comes to the NFL draft teams will usually pick a quarterback for their first choice. However, the Detroit Lions have already stated that they will not be picking a quarterback for their 13th overall pick in the draft.
General manager Martin Mayhew revealed very little about what the Detroit Lions plan on doing in the NFL draft. In fact, he even said he found it amusing to read all the football reports that say whether or not the Detroit Lions will choose a certain type of player. He finds these reports money because even he himself does not know who the they will choose or won’t choose the NFL draft so how could someone who isn’t even associated with the team know who is going to be picked.
Despite not knowing who he plans on picking in the NFL draft, Martin Mayhew does know that it won’t be a quarterback. Mayhew does believe that they will probably pick whoever is the best player left when the 13th pick rolls around.
Football experts believe that not choosing a quarterback could be grave mistake by the Detroit Lions. Two years ago the Detroit Lions became the first team in NFL history to go 0 and 16, and not win a single regular season game. This season was a little better with six wins and 10 losses but experts believe that a change in quarterback could be the answer to the team’s woes.
Experts and fans will just have to wait until Thursday’s NFL draft to see exactly who the team goes for and chooses to make a new Detroit Lions.
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Technorati Tags: Detroit Lions, Martin Mayhew, NFL draft
Posted on April 11, 2011 by James W
Lawrence Taylor
After pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of sexual misconduct with an underage girl, Lawrence Taylor was officially declared a low level sex offender by the New York court system.
Lawrence Taylor back in May was accused of having improper sexual conduct involving an underage girl. Police reports show that Lawrence Taylor paid the teenage girl, who was only 16 at the time, to perform sexual acts in a Rockland County hotel. The teenage girl refused to admit to allegations that she might have been a prostitute, but instead said she did it for the money and because of who Lawrence Taylor was.
Lawrence Taylor’s wife had spoken publicly about the incident in claims that Lawrence Taylor gave the 16-year-old girl money because she was going through hard times. Both Lawrence Taylor and his wife adamantly deny that he was patronizing a prostitute and claim the girl was out to seek revenge or fame.
Even though Lawrence Taylor claims not to have known about the age of the girl at the time of the incident, he pled guilty to one count of sexual misconduct and plead guilty to patronizing a prostitute in the third degree. Both charges are misdemeanors and only resulted in a $2000 fine and six years probation.
With the guilty plea the New York courts were able to declare Lawrence Taylor a sex offender. Lawrence Taylor is initially registered in the level 1 sex offender and which is the lowest classification of sex offenders. He will be required to register in the states that he lives in but due to the low level of classification his photo and address will not be posted to any sex offender online registries.
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Technorati Tags: Lawrence Taylor, Sex Offender
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