Nfl Football - Football Betting

2005-11-07T12:29:00.000-08:00

Benson a no-show for Saints game in Baton Rouge
Associated Press

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Tom Benson was a no-show for New Orleans' game against Chicago on Sunday in Baton Rouge, staying true to his earlier promise never to return to the city where last week he swatted at a TV news camera and argued with a heckling fan.--football gambling--

However, Benson's granddaughter, Rita Benson LeBlanc, did come to the game. LeBlanc, who has the title of owner/executive, is Benson's heir apparent.--football gambling--

After the Saints' loss to Miami a week ago, Benson fired off an e-mail to NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue saying his trip to Baton Rouge was a "total disaster," adding that he and his family members could have been injured or killed and that he would no longer attend games in Baton Rouge either this season or if any Saints games are scheduled here in 2006.--football gambling--

Saints spokesman Greg Bensel later said Benson wrote the e-mail out of frustration and still may attend one of the remaining games scheduled for Baton Rouge. Bensel did not immediately issue a statement on Benson's behalf during the Chicago game. --football gambling--

Fans booed when a public address announcement mentioned Benson while soliciting donations to the Saints' Hurricane Katrina relief fund.The Saints, based temporarily in San Antonio, play twice more in Baton Rouge, on Dec. 4 against Tampa Bay and Dec. 18 against Carolina. Their final home game will be in San Antonio on Dec. 24 against Detroit. --football gambling--

2005-11-02T09:30:00.000-08:00

Stockton names coach for first pro football team

By News-Sentinel Staff

Last updated: Wednesday, Nov 02, 2005 - 06:53:05 am PST

Stockton's first-ever pro football franchise has hired Richard Davis as its inaugural head coach for the upcoming 2006 season, team president Dan Chapman announced on Tuesday. -NFL Football-

Stockton, which will play in the 23-team arenafootball2 league, will open the 16-game season against another expansion team, the Spokane Shock, on March 30 in Spokane, Wash. -NFL Football-

Stockton will play its home opener against the Bakersfield Blitz on April 29. -NFL Football-

"We're very excited to bring Richard aboard as our first-ever head coach," Chapman said. "His vast expertise and credentials garnered through a very impressive run in arenafootball2 will be a much-welcomed addition to the organization." -NFL Football-

Davis, who holds a career 41-23 coaching record (fifth best all-time in af2 history), has five years of coaching experience in the af2 ranks, most recently with the Albany Conquest in 2005. He was 31-19 (including playoffs) with the Richmond Speed from 2000-03. -NFL Football-

Under Davis' direction, Richmond collected 27 wins in a two-year span, the second-highest two-year win total in af2 history. -NFL Football-

Davis guided the Speed to two consecutive playoff appearances in 2001 and 2002, including an Arena Cup Championship appearance in 2001. Davis has coached for 11 years at the professional and collegiate levels. -NFL Football-

After his collegiate playing days at Cisco Junior College and NAIA power Rocky Mountain College in Montana, he helped guide the NFL Europe's London Monarchs to a World Cup title in 1991. He served as an offensive coordinator at Langston University, a small NAIA school in Oklahoma in 1992, and as a quarterbacks coach at the University of Connecticut in 1994. -NFL Football-

2005-10-18T19:50:00.000-07:00

Leonard Little's younger brother shot to death
-- NFL --
By DUNCAN MANSFIELD, Associated Press WriterOctober 18, 2005
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- The younger brother of NFL player Leonard Little was shot to death and a 17-year-old girl was taken into custody after trying to flee police Tuesday. -- NFL --

Investigators found Jermaine Little, 24, lying on the floor of a friend's home about 5:30 p.m. Monday in Harriman, about 40 miles east of Knoxville where his brother once starred for the University of Tennessee. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
Shot once in the side, Jermaine Little died at Roane County Medical Center.
Harriman police chief Jack Stockton said there was a dispute over money. Little's girlfriend, Jessica Butcher, claimed he owed her $500. ``There was a physical altercation inside the residence and something happened,'' Stockton said. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
The suspect, identified by witnesses as Bianca Nicole Taylor, who accompanied Butcher to the house, went outside to their car ``and came back with a gun, allegedly, and fired one shot at the doorway,'' Stockton said.-- NFL --
-- NFL --
Taylor is a resident of Oak Ridge, about 20 miles to the east. Oak Ridge police spotted her vehicle, chased her until she wrecked, then caught her after she ran to her apartment. She was being held in the -- NFL --
Anderson County Jail with charges pending. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
Leonard Little was a third-round selection in the 1998 draft by the Rams. A 2003 Pro Bowl selection and the Rams' best defensive player, Little, 30, has dealt with off-the-field issues before. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
In 1999, he pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of Susan Gutweiler, 47, of suburban St. Louis, following a downtown car crash. Little's blood-alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit. He served three months in jail and was on probation for four years.-- NFL --
-- NFL --
Earlier this year, he was found not guilty of drunken driving charges following a 2004 arrest in St. Louis County. -- NFL --
Rams interim coach Joe Vitt said Little was told of his brother's death after Monday night's 45-29 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. ``Man, that was hard, that was tough,'' Vitt said. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
He said Little flew back to St. Louis from Indianapolis with the team, then flew to Tennessee to be with his family.-- NFL --
-- NFL --
Associated Press writer Jim Salter in St. Louis contributed to this report.
-- NFL --

2005-10-10T13:48:00.000-07:00

Same story for Pats in 31-28 win

ATLANTA (Oct. 9, 2005) -- The New England Patriots squandered a couple of big leads. That was merely a setup for Tom Brady and Adam Vinatieri, who pulled out one of their typical last-minute wins. - NFL Football -

Brady threw for 350 yards and three touchdowns before Adam Vinatieri kicked a 29-yard field goal with 17 seconds left to lead injury-plagued New England past the Falcons 31-28.

The Patriots (3-2) avoided their first losing streak since 2002 despite blowing leads of 14-0 and 28-13 to a team that didn't have Michael Vick.

"We put a lot into this one," said Brady, who spouted off in defense of his teammates after a 41-17 loss to San Diego last week. "We've had doubters for a long time. We're just going to keep coming out and doing the hard things every week."

Matt Schaub filled in admirably for the injured Vick, matching Brady's three TD passes, including a tying score with 3:52 remaining. Schaub threw a 14-yard TD to Dez White, then went to Brian Finneran for a 2-point conversion. - NFL Football -

The Falcons (3-2) had all the momentum, but Brady wasn't concerned.

"We came into a tough environment against an excellent team and had a chance to win the game with three minutes left," he said. "I would take that any day of the week."

With Patriots backed up at their 26 on second-and-20, Atlanta cornerback Allen Rossum was called for a blatant pass interference on Deion Branch -- the last of a four-penalties-in-four-plays stretch that gave New England a first down at the Falcons 44.

Patrick Pass, replacing the injured Corey Dillon, broke off a 15-yard gain that set up the 19th game-winning kick of Vinatieri's career -- two of those, of course, winning Super Bowls.

"The offense did a good job in the two-minute drill to get down there and use up all the clock," Vinatieri said. "We found a way to get it done. We've had some ups and downs this year, but this team has a lot of heart." - NFL Football -

Vick went out the previous week with a strained ligament in his right knee. In a questionable use of the NFL injury report, he barely practiced all week, but was listed as probable until Oct. 8, when the Falcons downgraded him to questionable.

On the day of the game, Vick wasn't active, watching from the sideline, dressed out in a visor and gray sweat shirt. - NFL Football -

"He wasn't ready to play," coach Jim Mora said. "It was an easy decision. When a player is not ready to play, you are not going to put him out there in harm's way. This team felt confident we could perform with Matt Schaub, and I think we proved that to be true."

Schaub, a second-year player from Virginia, completed 18 of 34 for 298 yards and didn't have any turnovers. Finneran caught five passes for 103 yards.

"I'm happy with the way I performed," Schaub said. "I thought I came out and made some good decisions and gave us a chance."

But the Falcons' defense couldn't slow Brady, who completed 22 of 27 to lead a 483-yard performance by the Patriots. - NFL Football -

"He certainly was making some incredible passes today," defensive end Patrick Kerney said. "When you hit a guy square on his shirt and he's still hitting the receiver, it's frustrating."

Branch, MVP of the last Super Bowl, had eight catches for 107 yards. Tight end Daniel Graham piled up 119 yards on five receptions, including a 45-yard TD. Bethel Johnson hauled in a 55-yard touchdown catch, and Ben Watson went 33 yards with Brady's other scoring play.

Dillon rushed for 106 yards before he went to the locker room with an undisclosed injury late in the game, though he returned to watch Vinatieri's winning kick and wouldn't disclose the nature of his problem. - NFL Football -

Pass had the first TD rushing of his career in the opening period.

The Falcons were hurt by potentially season-ending injuries to linebacker Ed Hartwell (foot) and cornerback Chris Cash (arm). Also, Kerney was limited to passing situations after hurting his oblique (side).

Of course, the Patriots aren't sympathetic about injuries. They lost safety Rodney Harrison for the season and had 14 players on their injury report, including defensive end Richard Seymour, who didn't play. - NFL Football -

Graham scored on a brilliant play, taking a simple screen for a long TD. Stephen Neal put a crushing block on Falcons linebacker Demorrio Williams, then Graham bounced off Bryan Scott and dove into the end zone.

But Atlanta pulled to 14-13 at halftime with two field goals in the final 1:25. The first was expected, Todd Peterson punching through a 33-yarder. - NFL Football -

Then, rookie punter Matt Koenen came out with 6 seconds left to try a 58-yarder, far beyond Peterson's range. The first was wide right, but New England called timeout, giving Koenen another try.

This one went through with plenty to spare for the first field goal of his career and second-longest in Falcons' history. - NFL Football -

Notes: Pass rushed for 34 yards on six carries in relief of Dillon. ... The Patriots' last losing streak: a 24-7 defeat at Tennessee on Dec. 16, 2002, followed a week later by a 30-17 setback at home to the New York Jets. ... Morten Andersen has the longest field goal in Atlanta history, a 59-yarder in 1995.

2005-10-01T14:56:00.000-07:00

Patriots franchise is success story teams try to copy

By Jay Posner
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

Jim Steeg was in charge of the Super Bowl for the past 26 years, so one might think he has seen just about all there is to see when it comes to putting on an NFL game.

But when the Chargers play New England tomorrow in Foxboro, Mass., Steeg – now in his first season as San Diego's chief operating officer – plans to walk around Gillette Stadium, checking out the Patriots' game-day operation.

Then again, why should he be any different? Everyone is checking out the Patriots.

"You know those bracelets people wear that say 'WWJD' – What Would Jesus Do?" said Marc Ganis, president of Sportscorp, a Chicago-based sports consulting firm. "After last season, people in the NFL were asking 'WWPD' – What Would the Patriots Do?

"Everyone's trying to emulate their business model."

Said another consultant, David Carter of The Sports Business Group in Redondo Beach: "The Patriots the last half-dozen years have emerged as the darling of the sports franchise business."

A decade ago, Ganis and Carter would have been laughed out of business had they suggested the Patriots were the model for anything other than ineptitude. It would have been somewhat akin to predicting the entire NBA would be following the lead of Donald T. Sterling and the Clippers.

The Patriots were that bad. about 50,000.

The Patriots went to the Super Bowl after the 1996 season, which helped Kraft build momentum, then reached the playoffs in two of the next three years. After missing out in 1999, Kraft hired Bill Belichick as his head coach. After a 5-11 rebuilding season, the Patriots have gone 48-16 the past four years, plus 9-0 in the postseason, resulting in three Super Bowl championships. Only one other team has won three Super Bowls in such a short span (Dallas, 1992-95).

"I have great admiration for what that organization has done because I would have never imagined in today's NFL that a football organization could achieve what they've done in the last four years. It's pretty remarkable," Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer said, referring to league rules (free agency, salary cap, draft) designed to promote parity.

Said Carter: "It's a lot of hard work to get all the pieces to the puzzle to fit at one time. By no means is it as easy as it looks."

Certainly not in the Patriots' case. The team desperately needed a new stadium when Kraft became owner, and after flirting with Providence, R.I., Kraft reached an agreement in November 1998 with the governor of Connecticut to move his team to Hartford. The next spring, however, he called it off and agreed to build a privately financed $350 million stadium in Foxboro.

Gillette Stadium opened in 2002, and with sellouts every week and suites going for $165,000, it has helped the Patriots become one of the league's top revenue producers. Forbes recently reported revenue has increased 50-fold to more than $90 million, and the franchise is valued at $1 billion.

It's not just money, however. The Krafts, Belichick – who is gaining a reputation as not only the best coach in the NFL today, but one of the best ever – and Scott Pioli, the team's vice president of player personnel, have developed another strategy that has proved successful.

"One thing they do and they've done from Day One, which I think is their greatest success, is they developed a plan and had the discipline to stay with it," Ganis said. "Teams in all sports are notorious for setting up a plan, then junking it and going for the quick fix when they think they can be successful. It happens time and time again and it's fool's gold. The Patriots never succumbed to temptation.

"They understand the salary cap," Ganis said. "They understand how much money they should spend on individual positions. They understand you have to let people go who are popular or have been stars. Otherwise you create an imbalance in your financial plan."

It wasn't easy – or popular – when the Patriots let quarterback Drew Bledsoe go after 2001 or when safety Lawyer Milloy was released the week of the 2003 season opener, but they stuck to their plan.

"Look how successful they've been as a result," Ganis said.

Entering tomorrow's game with the Chargers, New England has won 34 of its past 37 games.

"It all starts with the brilliance of Bill Belichick and how he's been able to get everyone buying into the team attitude," said Jim Nantz, who has called nearly a dozen Patriots games over the last season-plus for CBS. "It's so hard to get a large collection of individuals to play for something bigger than themselves or their contract.

"He's found the psychology of it. Leadership is all about getting people to see the same dream. You can't treat 53 people exactly the same. That's where his brilliance comes in – how do you know how to tweak everybody just right to get them motivated?"

Belichick says he has "no secret formula" and he's not really interested in being a model franchise.

"We're respectful of the league and we're respectful of the accomplishments that we've made, that other teams have made," he said. "We understand that and we respect it. But I don't think it really means anything.

"All we try to do is what we think is best for our football team. I don't know whether that's best for another team or not. I would never try to pass judgment on that. I'm sure that everybody does what they think is best. Whether that's the same or different from what we do, I don't really know and it doesn't really matter to me."

2005-09-26T10:58:00.000-07:00

NFL looks for big play in Mexico
Hispanics are key to league's growth

Kent Somers
The Arizona Republic
Sept. 25, 2005 12:00 AM The NFL is the monolith of professional sports leagues, so powerful in its hold over fans and sponsors that it's hard to imagine that it could grow in popularity.

Yet that's the plan, and a chief target is Mexico and the burgeoning Hispanic market in the United States.

Like most large, powerful entities, the NFL isn't the most nimble of organizations. It admittedly has been a bit slow off the ball in selling itself to Mexico and Hispanic markets.

No more.

The NFL sees those markets as vital to continuing the phenomenal growth the league has enjoyed over the past 50 years. That's why NFL officials view the Cardinals' game against the 49ers in Mexico City next Sunday as so important.

"Traditionally, I don't think we've put the focus on it (the Hispanic market)," said Roger Goodell, the league's executive vice president and chief operating officer. "Our popularity is soaring there (Mexico). There is a great deal of interest in American football."

It will be the first regular-season game played outside the United States, and in many ways, it's a grand experiment for the NFL. If this works, the league could place some future games in Tokyo or Europe.

Tapping a new market

There are several questions to be answered first, according to Goodell.

"What was the reaction in Mexico?" he said. "What kind of excitement can we generate? What kind of reaction did we get from the clubs from an operational standpoint and from the fans in those markets? Has it been a helpful tool in reaching the Hispanic market in the United States?"

That last question is central to the NFL's efforts in Mexico. By playing in Mexico City, it not only wants to attract new fans there but also in the United States. The Hispanic market in the United States hasn't been ignored, but the league and many of its teams have not paid serious attention to it.

Five or 10 years ago, reaching out to the Hispanic community "was not a focus," said Ron Minegar, Cardinals vice president of marketing and sales. "This gives us a neat platform to build upon for the future."

For instance, the game in Mexico City has prompted the Cardinals to work on expanding the Spanish-language broadcasts of their games into additional areas. The team also has found that its sponsors "have an interest in reaching out to the Hispanic community in Arizona."

Numbers indicate why the NFL is selling itself in Mexico. The NFL estimates there are 20 million football fans there, more than any country other than the United States. And there are nearly 25 million Americans of Mexican descent. Maybe some of them will think it's neat that the league is playing in Mexico.

It remains to be seen, however, how much this game will mean to many of them. To them, Mexico City is as foreign as Tokyo. To others, however, this game is intriguing.

"It's good because in Mexico, American football is not that much," said Larry Balderas, a Phoenix landscaper who was born in the United States but visits relatives in Mexico about once a year. "As soon as people start seeing this game, they will be excited."

That's what the NFL is counting on.

Marketing folks like to use words like "paradigm" and phrases like "driving the brand."

In plain English, what the NFL hopes to do in Mexico is draw new fans, convince casual followers to become ardent supporters and induce the diehard fans to strengthen their allegiance to the sport. It's like a five-story building with each floor dedicated to a certain type of fan. The idea is to get them in the building and then to the next floor.

Those people will then watch games on television, boost ratings and buy products of NFL sponsors.

Risk and reward

That's more money in the coffers of a league that's already awash in it.

There is a risk, however. Some Cardinals fans aren't crazy about the team giving up a home game to play in Mexico City. By taking away a team's home game, the league risks alienating some of its core fans.

Several factors contributed to the Cardinals being the ideal team to play in Mexico, and geographic proximity had little to do with it. More important was the team being in the last year in Sun Devil Stadium and drawing fewer fans than any other club in the NFL. It made more sense for the Cardinals to give up a home game than any other team.

To at least one Mexican working here in the Valley, the NFL's most serious venture into a foreign country makes sense.

Rolando Cantu, a guard on the Cardinals practice squad, is the first Mexican native to make it in the NFL, and he thinks Americans tend to underestimate the popularity of football in Mexico.

He came up through Mexico's university system, signed to play in NFL Europe and is in his second season on the Cardinals practice squad.

"You would be surprised," Cantu said when asked about football popularity in Mexico. "We've been playing for over 90 years. There are all kinds of Pop Warner leagues throughout most of the big cities. And there are around 50 university teams that play down there. The average crowd in my hometown (Monterrey) is 22,000 or 23,000."

Being signed to the 53-man roster would be the culmination of a lot of hard work for Cantu. And to play his first NFL game in Mexico City? That would be a dream come true.

"I would hopefully have a starting point from there on," said the 6-foot-5, 361-pound Cantu, who has never played in a regular-season NFL game.

Although Cantu holds an obscure spot in the NFL, he's big news to the Mexican sporting press. When the Cardinals cut him after training camp, it drew headlines, as did his signing to the practice squad.

"There are a lot of children who know of Rolando," said Jorge Iglesias, who runs a Web site, tochito.com, dedicated to flag football. "They know him, know his career. When the newspapers in Mexico presented the news that he had had been cut, I think the people were a little bit sad. They want Rolando playing with Arizona."

Soccer is still the most popular sport in Mexico, but about 1 million kids play tochito, or flag football. To the NFL, those are future fans. To sponsors, those are potential customers.

"This means a lot to our fans down there," Cantu said of the game. "Believe me, the growth is already there."

History lesson

On Oct. 2, the Cardinals and 49ers will play in the NFL's first regular-season game outside the United States, in Mexico City. Some facts and tidbits related to this historic game:

For starters: Game from Estadio Azteca will be televised at 5:30 p.m. on ESPN. In Mexico, it will be shown on Televisa and ESPN.

Top attraction: The NFL has staged 55 preseason games outside the U.S. Three of those games attracted paid crowds of more than 100,000, all played in Mexico City. They are three of the four biggest crowds to attend an NFL game of any kind. The crowd of 112,376 that watched the Dallas Cowboys-Houston Oilers game in 1994 was the largest in NFL history.

Strong roots: Anthony MuÒoz was the first player of Mexican ancestry elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1998). Tom Flores was the first person in NFL history to earn a Super Bowl ring as a player (IV), assistant coach (XI) and head coach (XV). Other prominent Mexican-American NFL players: Joe Kapp, Jim Plunkett, Tony Casillas, Max Montoya, the Zendejas brothers and Raul Allegre.

Fan base: According to NFL surveys, Mexico is the non-U.S. country with the most NFL fans, about 20 million. NFL games have been televised in Mexico since 1966 on Televisa and 1972 on TV Azteca.

Travelogue: The NFL has played preseason games since 1950 in the following locations: Canada (Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Hamilton, Vancouver); Mexico (Mexico City, Monterrey); Japan (Tokyo, Osaka); England (London); Sweden (Goteborg); Germany (Berlin); Spain (Barcelona); Ireland (Dublin) and Australia (Sydney). Seven of these games were played against Canadian Football League teams.

Source: NFL

Depth chart

Each week, Republic NFL writer Kent Somers ranks the 32 teams and adds a comment or category.

1 New England: No team has a more difficult early-season schedule.
2 Pittsburgh: The Steelers' road becomes more difficult, beginning today against the Pats.
3 Indianapolis: Stop the presses: The Colts have a defense now.
4 Philadelphia: The Eagles took care of San Francisco in about 10 minutes last week.
5 Carolina: Two solid defenses will slug it out today in Miami.
6 Kansas City: Second straight big game against a division foe.
7 Atlanta: Big letdown last week after beating the Eagles in the opener.
8 Cincinnati: The best offense in the NFL gets tested today in Chicago.
9 San Diego: Chargers could easily be 2-0, but their first win will come today.
10 Tampa Bay: The defense is back and rookie Cadillac is the real deal.
11 NY Jets: They slept in the first week, but everyone's awake now.
12 Dallas: It won't be easy for the Cowboys to get over blowing Monday night's game to Washington.
13 Chicago: The Bears make a huge jump in rankings thanks to that defense.
14 Jacksonville: Scary moment last week when Byron Leftwichdid his Gumby imitation.
15 Denver: The offense needs to shift out of first gear to stay with KC today.
16 NY Giants: Let's see how they do today away from home. It could get ugly in San Diego.
17 Seattle: In tackle Walter Jones and guard Steve Hutchinson, the Seahawks have the best left side in the NFL.
18. St. Louis: Stopping the Cardinals in the red zone is no reason for the Rams defense to get cocky.
19 New Orleans: Another road trip, this one to Minnesota, should prove successful.
20 Miami: Lack of explosiveness on offense will cost the Dolphins some games.
21 Buffalo: QB J.P. Losman looked like a rookie last week, and he is.
22 Washington: The Redskins are 2-0 and have a week off. Count us among the non-believers.
23 Oakland: Something's missing from the Raiders this season. Maybe it's defense.
24 Detroit: Lions are like going to your crazy aunt's house on Sunday. You never know what you're going to see.
25 Tennessee: The Titans are young, but Jeff Fisher's teams don't just roll over.
26 Cleveland: Next stop: reality. The Browns will be pounded today in Indy.
27 Baltimore: Seventeen points in two weeks won't get it done, unless you're playing soccer.
28 San Francisco: A young team that will play better at home than on the road.
29 Arizona: Busy lamenting the details, like every other team with a losing record.
30 Green Bay: A loss to Tampa Bay today would deepen the big hole the Packers are in.
31 Minnesota: Mike Tice could be the first head coach fired. But who would replace him?
32 Houston: The Titans' average of a touchdown a game forced Dom Capers to fire his offensive coordinator.

Copyright © 2005, azcentral.com. All rights reserved.

2005-09-16T08:39:00.000-07:00

Bears add DT Campbell to practice squad

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (Sept. 12, 2005) -- The Chicago Bears signed defensive tackle Darrell Campbell to the practice squad a week after waiving him from the 53-man roster.

Campbell was signed by the Bears as an undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame in April 2004 and spent last season rehabilitating a knee injury sustained during predraft workouts. He had seven tackles during the preseason before being waived Sept. 5. - NFL Football -

The Bears also waived defensive tackle Jason Jefferson from the practice squad.

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2005, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved

2005-09-06T09:01:00.000-07:00

NFL legend Rice retires

DENVER, United States (AFP) - Jerry Rice, who holds 38 National Football League records, announced his retirement, bringing to an end an historic career that saw him become American gridiron's all-time leading receiver.

"I said I wouldn't do this," a tearful Rice said. "I think the tears that you see are basically that I have really enjoyed this ride. It's been great. It's been fantastic."

The announcement from Rice came just a day after he learned that he made the 53-man roster but the 42-year-old was one of six receivers on the squad.

After discovering that he would not be among Denver's top three receiving options, Rice, whose NFL records include career receptions (1,549), receiving yards (22,895) and receiving touchdowns (197), decided to end his career.

Playing sparingly with the Oakland Raiders and the Seattle Seahawks in 2004, Rice signed with the Broncos during the summer with the hope of being the team's third receiver.

The 13-time Pro Bowl receiver, who spent the first 16 years of his career with the San Francisco 49ers, had just 25 catches for 362 yards in 11 games as a Seahawk.

A member of three Super Bowl-winning teams with the 49ers, Rice set the NFL record for touchdowns in a season (22) in 1987 and receiving yards (1,848) eight years later.

His string of 11 straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons ended in 1997, when he suffered an injury against Tampa Bay in the season's first game.

In Super Bowl XXIII in Miami, Rice captured MVP honors after catching 11 passes for 215 yards in the 49ers' dramatic 20-16 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.

2005-08-30T09:19:00.000-07:00

Football players: They need to be protected

Alex Raskin

Before anything else, know that it does not have to happen like this. No matter what Thomas Herrion's toxicology test reports, there is no denying that we can protectfootball players.

The answer is not as obvious as banning some substance r getting out of the heat. We have to get to the root of the problem.

The villain in this case is not football, for if we condemn football we must condemn all things potentially hurtful like swimming pools or automobiles. No, these things are not second nature and we will survive without them; but lives will be made better by their existence.

The villain in Saturday night's death of the San Francisco 49er during after an exhibition game in Denver was something much more complicated.

Thomas Herrion was not a human being.

Not to football fans at least.

Who among us knew his struggle to make the 49ers? Who knew of his struggles to jump from the Cowboys practice squad to their game day roster one season ago? Who knew that Herrion's weight fluctuated from 310 to 350 pounds all while he attempted to keep pace with players much faster than himself?

Realistically speaking, how could we know? Herrion had a thick facemask full of twisted bars that covered his young face.

Fans couldn't see his small joyous eyes that peaked around his bulbous cheeks. Nobody could differentiate him from the countless other third and fourth string players slinging their bodies around during theNFL preseason for an opportunity to risk more during the regular season.

But there is a difference. They still have a chance.

Reggie White's tragic death is still fresh in our minds. White played near 300 pounds, but demonstrated agility known to running backs and receivers. Still, his large heart could not carry the load forever. But Herrion's coaches had no idea what he could endure. They were together so briefly; and while Mike Nolan, head coach of the 49ers, may speak of losing a friend, the truth is that he never knew Herrion. Again, Herrion was a number on a roster sheet waiting to be cut.

We ask a lot of football players because watching someone play with less than their best is unbearable. Players like Julius Peppers and Robert Gallery now grace this league.

The duel threat of size and speed are in vogue, and as these traits get more popular the warning signs for potentially fatal situations become more discrete.

First off, the 49ers were playing in Denver's cool humid climate, and while heat stroke is still possible in those conditions, it is a far cry from the 90 degree plus heat that was partially responsible for the death of Viking tackle, Korey Stringer. Herrion himself played college ball in Utah's high altitudes which suggests the mile-high city may not be the culprit. Furthermore, Herrion walked off of the field under his own power. This was the same field that was surrounded by medical professionals, all of whom were unable to help this young man in time.

What killed Thomas Herrion was the disassociation with the physical nature of this sport. Yes we are desensitized to violence infootball. Sportscenter roles another Ultimate Highlight featuring the cracking of heads on a football field and the American public, myself included, gawks like a tourist at the Sistine Chapel.

To make sure these situations do not happen again, we must take a more human approach to the game of football.

Wellsville High School Football coach Larry Peacock, is a good example.

"It takes a special person to play football," explained Peacock.

He is not the only coach wrapped up in concern for his players, but he is a shining example of pushing his players just enough to make them better people.

Not every coach is seen yelling at his players to go half speed during running exercises.

Peacock however knows that his player's safety may rest in his hands.

"We take a lot of five minute water breaks," explained junior fullback Bryan Hennessy. Peacock takes it a step further. He has two full time people hydrating his team even during cooler temperatures. Peacock also denies his team soda after a certain date to prevent dehydration.

"They say they feel better after that," said Peacock, adding simple things, like sleep, are what concerns him the most about his players' safety. "Kids want to have fun, but we need to operate at game speed, so they better be ready."

But most importantly, Peacock understands that there are much more important things than football. For instance, whenever one of his players has felt the need to call it quits because of an injury the vocal, yet mild-mannered, coach knows how to handle that situation too.

"The kid always makes the right decision because it was their own decision," said Peacock. "These kids have dreams. They see themselves on Madden 2027. It's a dream to just play."

For all of Wellsville's players it should remain a dream because they have a coach concerned with the player underneath the helmet and not the numbers on the jersey or the stat sheet.

Thomas Herrion did not have to die.

We are still weeks away from knowing what caused his demise. In the likely event that he took a legal supplement that may have exacerbated his situation, America will be outraged and the FDA will ban the substance.

Of course that stops nothing until we can begin to realize that a human heart cannot throw around 300 pounds at top speed for an entire game.

When we understand the humanity of the game, then, and only then, can we begin to feel confident that the players are being protected.

2005-08-24T07:52:00.000-07:00

NFL rules leave fans in dark

Some football fans were unhappy about Monday night's Cowboys-Seahawks game being blacked out locally. A few more were even more incensed when they traveled outside of what was perceived to be the 75-mile blackout radius to watch, only to find that the game wasn't on TV there, either. - NFL Football -
That's because it's relative. Even if you were outside the 75-mile radius, you wouldn't have gotten the game if you depended on KOMO, the Seattle ABC affiliate. If you were outside the radius and could pick up another ABC affiliate's signal, then you could have seen the game.
"We don't like the idea that our fans weren't able to see the game," Seahawks CEO Tod Leiweke said. "But it wasn't a Seahawks decision. It's a league rule."
The NFL's national television blackout rules also apply to the exhibition season. If a home game is not sold out, it is blacked out locally. If a local station is showing the game on its own and it is not sold out, it cannot be seen live but can be tape-delayed, which the Seahawks have done often in the past. - NFL Football -
The only way local fans could have seen the game from KOMO's signal was if the game had been declared a sellout. But that wasn't even close to happening, as only 48,090 tickets were distributed for 67,000-seat Qwest Field.
The Seahawks would have had to pay a major fine had they showed the game locally on TV. In the past, the team has paid the fines to show non-sellout exhibition games live on local television.
Leiweke added that the Seahawks want to be "good citizens" in the league, and therefore didn't want to circumvent league rules and show Monday night's game. At the same time, he said the team is working on a way to allow the Seahawks' final home exhibition game, Sept. 2 against Minnesota, to be shown live on local TV. - NFL Football -
The Seahawks have sold out 16 consecutive home games, and Leiweke said that showing all regular-season home games on TV locally is critical.
The team's season-ticket base is up to about 46,000 this year, as opposed to 32,000 two years ago, he added. - NFL Football -

The Seattle Times Company

2005-08-15T10:10:00.000-07:00

UW FOOTBALL: Confidence kicks in

Admit it, University of Wisconsin football fans, when it comes to the team's kickers this season, you've got a knot in your stomach the size of a football.
You can't shake the image of that missed 23-yard field-goal attempt in the spring game by sophomore Taylor Mehlhaff. - NFL Football -
You've been burned by too many highly acclaimed kickers in the past and you're not sure if your heart is ready to commit again.
Fortunately, the kicking doctor is available. Pull up a couch and listen to what Chris Sailer has to say about Mehlhaff and prepare to feel a lot better. - NFL Football -
Sailer, a former kicker at UCLA, is kicking guru to some of the top college and high school kickers in the nation, including Mehlhaff.
After what Mehlhaff regarded as a disappointing freshman year, when he handled kickoff duties for the Badgers, followed by an even more discouraging spring, he did what he usually does - continued working hard to perfect his craft. Sailer spent time with Mehlhaff in January, May and July. - NFL Football -
"I know he didn't have the type of fall he wanted last year, or even the type of spring," Sailer said. "So, when he came back this summer, it was obvious he had worked extremely hard. The improvement we saw from May to July was just incredible - it's the biggest jump I've seen him make." - NFL Football -

TOM MULHERN

2005-08-09T07:19:00.000-07:00

Former NFL receiver pushes to start race team

Former NFL receiver and FSN Pro Football Preview analyst Tim Brown has a new mission - owning a Nextel Cup team.
With his Super Bowl chase over after 17 NFL seasons, Brown returned to the state where he won the 1987 Heisman Trophy at Notre Dame. Now, Brown wants to become the first minority owner in the NASCAR series.
"If that's going to happen, it's going to have to happen in the next 45 to 60 days," Brown said Sunday. "So we're going to be pushing very hard to get that done."
Brown appeared with one of the series' top owners, Jack Roush, before the race.
Roush advised Brown to also start teams in NASCAR's Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series, something Brown said he would consider.
"Mr. Roush told me yesterday he started in the truck series, so if it's good enough for him, it's good enough for us," Brown said. "It's our hope to run in the Cup series and the Busch series this year."
Brown is the latest football personality to make the transition to racing. Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs owns a team, and former players such as Reggie White, Joe Washington, Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach were involved in racing.
He was also recently named an analyst for the first NFL preview program of the weekend, which debuts on FSN Sept. 9 and airs at 5:00 PM and 10:30 PM local on Fridays, Saturday afternoons (check local listings) and Sundays at 10:00 AM EST/ 7:00 AM PST.

Associated Press

2005-07-26T07:21:00.000-07:00

NFL: Williams' comeback under way

The running back returns to training camp with the Dolphins and apologizes for his abrupt retirement last year.
DAVIE, Fla. - Ricky Williams made all the right moves on the field with the Miami Dolphins yesterday. - NFL Football -
First, he showed up. Then he reached the end zone on his first carry, smiled at cheering fans, apologized for leaving the team in the lurch, said he was done with dope and calmly submitted to a media interrogation regarding his one-year retirement.
One question - the first one - momentarily stumped him, though: Why did he return?
"Why? Why? I don't know. I don't know," he said.
Uh-oh. This roller-coaster ride still seems a little rickety. - NFL Football -
Greeted with hugs from teammates and cheers from fans, Williams returned to the Dolphins for their opening training camp practice under new coach Nick Saban. Lining up for his first play since the 2003 season, Williams took a handoff from quarterback Gus Frerotte and sprinted 20 yards to the goal line. - NFL Football -
But there was no defense on the field, and he is sure to meet stiffer resistance in the weeks to come as he tries to regain favor and reclaim a starting job.
"Look, we're kind of in the risk-taking business," Saban said. "I've talked to the team about it. I think everybody is accepting of his ability and respectful of him as a competitor. I think everybody is anxious to see that he is committed and to evaluate his level of commitment."
At a team meeting Sunday after players reported for camp, Williams spoke and apologized for the impact caused by his retirement a year ago last weekend. The Dolphins went into a nosedive and finished 4-12, their worst season since the 1960s. - NFL Football -
"There were things about life that I wanted to explore outside of football, and I had never had the chance," Williams said at a news conference after practice. "I realize by making that decision, I affected the team in a negative way and upset a lot of fans. - NFL Football -
"I'm very regretful that people were hurt in the process of me doing that. I do realize that to a lot of people it comes off as being very selfish. So I do offer an apology to all the people who were negatively impacted."
When the topic turned to his admitted use of marijuana, Williams said he no longer smokes it. He faces a four-game suspension at the start of the season for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. - NFL Football -
"Being an NFL player, I had a problem with some of the rules," he said. "I wasn't very comfortable with it, and I decided to walk away from it. Being away and having a chance to learn a lot about myself, I realized that freedom is having the strength to be in any situation and be content with that situation." - NFL Football -
His words of contrition seemed to satisfy teammates, including center Seth McKinney, who a year ago called Williams a quitter. - NFL Football -
"In the team meeting, he did what he had to do," McKinney said. "He's a man about it. We're all being men about it. Nobody is holding any grudges. We all want him back."

The Associated Press

2005-07-18T07:48:00.000-07:00

Can't flag them down

Area flag football leagues will be huddling up soonThere is NO reason to argue with a referee, coach or parent. Coaches can be dismissed for excessive arguing with referees or other coaches.
It's too bad that is a rule only in NFL Flag Football, a local league for boys and girls in grades one thru six. It ought to apply at all levels, including the NFL itself.
The visions of major college football or pro coaches nearly going into coronary arrest along the sidelines adorn weekends from early fall through winter. - NFL Football -
Grown men screeching at an implacable referee; veins in both foreheads and necks plumping like Ball Park Franks on the grill. That is a great image for the kids, isn't it? Nice object lesson, too. If things don't go your way, scream. If they don't go your way a couple of plays later, scream even louder. - NFL Football -
Right away, you know flag football league coordinator Genevieve Long has the right idea.
Foul Play Will Not Be Tolerated.
At the risk of being redundant, how come that cannot be the rule in a lot more leagues, regardless of age? The major league pitcher who smacks a batter with a 90 mph fastball with blatant intent. - NFL Football -
The college basketball player who undercuts an opponent heading to the hole.
The high school football player who gives an extra swat while residing near the bottom of the pile. The NHL player who uses his stick the way Paul Bunyan wielded his ax.
Long coordinates flag football league play in two venues; in Bloomfield Hills through the city's recreation department, and at Detroit Country Day School in Beverly Hills.
Everyone is welcome to participate. Play gets underway in late August.
The Developmental Flag Football program is for first and second graders, while the Flag Football League is for those in grades three thru six. - NFL Football -
Costs range from $100 to $145, and include an official NFL team jersey, flags and a flag belt. Really, about the only additional expense is for a mouth guard, which can be purchased for under $5 at most sporting goods stores.
The format of NFL Flag Football is five players versus five players in a limited contact games. The fields measure 70 yards long by 30 yards wide. - NFL Football -
The games are 52 minutes in length consisting of two 25 minute halves.
Trash Talking Is Illegal.
Hallelujah and which way to the commissioner's office? Am I the only one who has gotten incredibly sick of all the yapping that goes on during games at almost all levels? Every basket in the NBA is followed by some sort of chest-thumping, jaw-jacking celebration. Every touchdown in the NFL is punctuated with a Hamlet-like soliloquy and a dance routine that would make even Janet Jackson blush. - NFL Football -
"We had the flag football league in Bloomfield Hills last year, and honestly, we did not really have any sort of problems at all. There was one coach who used a word he shouldn't have, and I talked to him about it. He was apologetic," Long said.
"We want this to be a fun league," she continued. "I really enjoy sports, and I really enjoy kids. I am very much a child advocate. There is so much pressure in so many areas of life, even for kids. These are recreational leagues. - NFL Football -
"Sure we want the kids to learn skills and understand the sport. But it is not just football skills they are learning. It is also concepts like teamwork and sportsmanship that apply everywhere. Everyone gets to play. You should not have to be the best athlete on a team to have fun."
Long grew up in Bloomfield Hills and graduated from Andover High School, where she was an All-State soccer player. She went on to play at Oakland University, where she earned a master of education degree in early childhood development.
Only the team captain may ask a referee questions about rule clarification and interpretations. Players cannot question judgment calls.
Sounds good to me. It seems like after every call in the NFL, the referees are surrounded. The poor officials look like General Custer's men in striped shirts. Every foul whistled in the NBA is greeted first by incredulous stares, and quickly, rebuttals from the player called for the infraction. - NFL Football -
In the NHL, only the captain is supposed to converse with the official, but it's a loosely enforced edict.
Paul Tagliabue ought to pay attention to the rules in NFL Flag Football. Ditto with David Stern and Gary Bettman.

Jim Evans
Daily Tribune

2005-07-11T15:52:00.000-07:00

Cats' kicker produces points year after year

Most professional football kickers are vagabonds. They move from organization to organization season after season, because teams have little patience with them.Kickers are expected to be flawless. So if they miss three field-goal attempts in a game or shank a potential game-winning kick, they're liable to be released before the day is over.This gypsy life is heightened in the arenafootball2 league because field goals are more difficult. Af2 goal posts are 9 feet wide, compared to 18 feet, 6 inches in the NFL. - NFL Football -
Brandon Kornblue, however, has worn one af2 uniform for the last 41/2 seasons.The fifth-year Florida Firecats' kicker has stuck around because he has produced season after season. Kornblue, 28, tied the af2 career field-goal record in the Cats' 50-41 victory over the Arkansas Twisters at Germain Arena on Saturday night.
Kornblue has 38 career field goals, tying the mark set by James Thomas from 2000-03. Kornblue also owns af2 records in career point-after-touchdowns made (281), career point-after-touchdowns attempted (358) and career points kicking (395).The Naples resident said there are several reasons why he's stuck with the Cats. First, he hasn't been injured in the past five seasons."I've had great holders and snappers and coaches who have stayed with me," Kornblue said. "Even if I had an off night, coaches were comfortable enough with me. (Cats general manager) Chris Vallozzi is the one who's consistently had confidence in me throughout the years." - NFL Football -
Kornblue has struggled with field goals this season. His 16-yard kick Saturday was just his second successful attempt this year. He's 2-for-15 on field-goal tries this season."It's been a frustrating year for a lot of reasons," said Kornblue, who booted 22 field goals — an af2 single-season record — in 2002.
Due to Germain Arena availability issues, Kornblue has practiced indoors for just two weeks this season. Also, long-snapper Joe Fantigrassi (knee) has missed the last three games, forcing the team to use inexperienced players at the position."Most of his field-goal attempts have been pretty long and there's other things involved," Cats coach Kevin Bouis said. "He's had a couple field goals blocked, there's been some bad snaps, so it's not necessarily all his fault."Bouis hopes Saturday's field goal will help turn around Kornblue's season. History shows that the University of Michigan graduate will produce in the postseason. - NFL Football -
He was 8-for-8 on field-goal attempts in the playoffs in 2002. Kornblue was 7-for-10 on tries in last year's postseason."That's what I'm most proud of," he said. "When the team needs me the most, I come through."
EXTRA POINTS
Fullback/linebacker Steve Gorrie, who missed Saturday's game with a right wrist injury, is expected to play against the Wilkes-Barre Scranton (Pa.) Pioneers on Saturday, Bouis said.Gorrie, the league's leading rusher, had the cast on his wrist removed Thursday but the team doctor didn't clear him to play against Arkansas. Gorrie injured his wrist June 4 against Birmingham. - NFL Football -
"He wasn't at full strength," Bouis said. "He said his wrist was at 40 percent. I talked to him (Saturday night) and he said he was up to 70 percent, so he should be ready to go this week."Fantigrassi (knee) will be re-evaluated today, Bouis said. The club hopes that he'll be able to play Saturday.
KICKING RECORDS
Florida Firecats kicker Brandon Kornblue owns several arenafootball2 league career kicking records: - NFL Football -
Category NumberPATs made 281PATs attempted 358
Points kicking 395Field goals 38

CHRIS UMPIERRE

2005-07-06T09:56:00.000-07:00

Longtime NFL coach Stram dies

NEW ORLEANS - Hall of Fame coach Hank Stram, who took the Kansas City Chiefs to two Super Bowls and was known for his inventive game plans and exuberance on the sideline, died Monday, his family said. He was 82.
Stram had been in declining health for several years and Dale Stram attributed his father's death to complications from diabetes. He died at St. Tammany Parish Hospital, near his home in Covington, across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans. He built a home there during his two-year stint as coach of the Saints and retired there.
"Pro football has lost one of its most innovative and creative coaches and one of its most innovative and creative personalities as well," Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt said in a telephone interview.
Stram was the Chiefs' first and winningest coach. He took over the expansion Dallas Texans of the upstart AFL in 1960 and coached them through 1974, moving with them to Kansas City, where they were renamed the Chiefs in 1963.
The gregarious, stocky, blazer-wearing Stram carried a rolled-up game plan in his hand as he paced the sideline. He led the Chiefs to AFL titles in 1962, '66 and '69 and to appearances in the first Super Bowl, a 35-10 loss to Green Bay, and the fourth, a 23-7 victory over Minnesota in 1970.
He had a 124-76-10 record with the Chiefs and in 17 seasons as a head coach was 131-97-10 in the regular season and 5-3 in the postseason.
Stram was the first coach to wear a microphone during a Super Bowl and his sideline antics, captured by NFL Films, helped bring the league into the video age.
He later coached two seasons with the Saints and enjoyed a successful second career in CBS' television and "Monday Night Football" radio booths as an analyst.
Stram made his mark in the booth by consistently telling the audience what would happen before it did.
"I think they'll go deep here," he would tell his partner, Jack Buck.
"Elway to throw," Buck would respond. "He's looking deep. He throws deep. Caught by Steve Sewell at the 11-yard line. You called that one, Coach."
"John just saw what I saw," Stram would say.
Stram was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2003. The then-80-year-old had to be pushed onto the stage in a wheelchair and his induction speech was videotaped.
In an interview that year, Stram said he would accept another coaching job in a minute.
"I've lived a charmed life," he said. "I married the only girl I ever loved and did the only job I ever loved."
Len Dawson, the Hall of Fame quarterback who played under Stram at Kansas City, also called him an innovator.
"He was responsible for doing a lot of the things in the '60s that teams are still using now," said Dawson, citing the moving pocket and the triple-stack defense.
"His whole life was football; that's what he was born for, I think,'' Dawson said. "He had a passion for it, not just a liking. He was really sincere when he talked about the team being a family. Everybody really loved him."
Hall of Fame linebacker Willie Lanier, who played for the Chiefs under Stram, said his former coach was able to elevate his players to new levels of success.
"All of us had a great joy in being able to experience the sport at the level we did because of his creative mind and the kind of personality that he put around you," he said from his home in Midlothian, Va. "That allowed everyone to perform at levels higher than they would have without him."
Hunt hired Stram, then an assistant at the University of Miami (Fla.) in 1959 after Oklahoma's Bud Wilkinson and then-New York Giants assistant Tom Landry turned down the Texans coaching job.
"He had never been a head coach before, and you never know how that's going to work out,'' Hunt said. "In our case it worked out tremendously. I think it worked out great for his career, too, because he ended up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He deserves to be there."
Stram is survived by his wife Phyllis; sons Henry, Dale, Stu and Gary; daughters Julia and Mary Nell, and a sister, Dolly.
His sons said a private memorial service was being planned for later this week.
Sports writers Mary Foster in New Orleans and Doug Tucker in Kansas City, Mo., contributed to this report.

KEVIN McGILL

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

2005-06-29T13:39:00.000-07:00

Dunn named top 'Good Guy' in sports by Sporting News

ST. LOUIS (AP)--Atlanta running back Warrick Dunn heads the list of sports' top "Good Guys," announced Monday by the Sporting News.

Athletes from major league baseball, the NFL, NBA and NASCAR were nominated by their teams or leagues. Winners were chosen by the Sporting News staff.
The St. Louis-based publication said the award honors athletes "who open their hearts as well as their wallets to serve the needy and unfortunate and improve their communities through compassion and generosity."

The Warrick Dunn Foundation and his Home for the Holidays program have assisted 52 single mothers and 135 children in Atlanta, Baton Rouge, La., and Tampa, Fla. The program provides $5,000 toward the down payment on homes, then surprises the new owner with furnishings, food, linens, even toothbrushes.

"Warrick Dunn has gone beyond anything anyone could reasonably expect in helping others," said John Rawlings, senior vice president and editoral director of the Sporting News.

Past winners of the award include Curt Schilling (2004), Troy Vincent (2003), Derek Jeter (2002), Dikembe Mutombo (2001), Derrick Brooks (2000) and David Robinson and Darrell Green (1999).

Sporting News also recognized Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner (NFL), Philadelphia first baseman Jim Thome (MLB) and Miami Center Shaquille O'Neal (NBA) as outstanding "Good Guys."
A complete list of other winners is in the July 8 issue, on newsstands Wednesday.

Nfl Football Record

2005-06-22T08:43:00.000-07:00

Kwara United Faults Nfl

Lagos
The management of Kwara United Football Club has faulted the inclusion of the team among those defaulting in the payment of fines imposed by the Nigerian Football League (NFL) during the first round of the 20-club league season.
The NFL, according to media reports, had reportedly announced the names of 10 clubs it banned from the transfer window, which opened from this week from defaulting in the payment of fines against erring clubs during the just concluded first round.
But Special Assistant on Sports in the state and member of the management team of the club, Zachary Muhammad told newsmen in Ilorin that the football league acted in error by listing the club's name among the defaulting teams.
He claimed that the club had paid the N20, 000 fine imposed on it during its away match with Kano Pillars in Kano, while the club's goal tender, Bassey Akpan, had also served the two-match ban the NFL slammed on him.
"It was a mistake on the part of Salisu Abubakar to have included our club among the clubs defaulting in the payment of fines which, to my knowledge, we have since paid. We have protested our inclusion to the NFL and I can confidently tell you that we are taking part in the transfer window. "So, there is no reason for our club's name to be among those clubs defaulting in the payment of fines," he said.

He revealed that the club had put machinery in place to recruit 10 new players to strengthen its technical capability and place the club in good stead at the end of the season.
The statistics of the new players, according to the governor's aide, shall be a goalkeeper, two defenders, two midfielders and five strikers.