The NFL offered its support and thanks to Delaware governor Jack Markell who will sign on August 30 a law that will protect young athletes.

The law, Senate Bill 111, mandates a more formal and aggressive approach to the management and treatment of concussions. The law stipulates that athletes, parents and coaches must be educated about the dangers of concussions each year and if the athlete is suspected of having a concussion, he/she must be removed from a game or practice and not be permitted to return to play. In addition, a licensed health care professional must clear the young athlete to return to play in the subsequent days or weeks. Coaches must also be trained in these new procedures.

The bill’s co-sponsors include Senator Bethany Hall-Long, Senator Joseph Booth, Representative Rebecca Walker and Representative Biff Lee. The new law will be implemented under the auspices of the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association.
Former Philadelphia Eagles player VINCE PAPALE, who inspired the movie Invincible, and NFL Senior Vice President of Government Relations and Public Policy JEFF MILLER will join Governor Markell at the signing on Tuesday.

The NFL has actively supported the passage of this law. “It’s important that each state works to protect young athletes from head injury,” said Milller. “Laws like this one are a major step in concussion treatment and prevention, and we applaud the Delaware state government for their proactive stance.”

The law is inspired by Zackery Lystedt who, in 2006, suffered a brain injury following his return to a middle school football game after sustaining a concussion. Zackery, his family and a broad range of medical, business and community partners, including the NFL, lobbied the Washington state legislature for a law to protect young athletes in all sports from returning to play too soon.

In May 2010, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell sent letters to governors of 44 states that did not have concussion laws urging them to pass a law similar to the Lystedt Law. In the letter, Commissioner Goodell said sports and political leaders can help raise awareness of concussions while ensuring proper and effective treatment.

Since the passage of the Lystedt Law in 2009, 28 states have passed similar laws protecting young athletes with Delaware set to become the 29th.

“It makes me feel proud when I hear about Lystedt Laws being passed in other states,” said Zack Lystedt. “Sharing my story is important.”

To learn more about the NFL’s commitment to health and about the Lystedt Law, visit www.nflhealthandsafety.com .

"You've got a few people out of thousands that just ruin it for everybody and make it a place where it's no longer family fun but gang violence."— Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones.

A 'real problem'

After a near-fatal beating in baseball and this month's mayhem at an NFL preseason game, experts warn the perception of a rise in fan violence will give Americans reason to attend fewer games if leagues and clubs do not take action.

Of 69,732 fans at this month's Oakland Raiders-San Francisco 49ers NFL game, 70 were ejected from Candlestick Park , 12 were arrested, two were shot in the parking lot — and one was savagely beaten in a restroom.

Images of the violence, proliferating through social and news media, struck a foul chord with fans and with stadium operators, many setting security policies without uniform guidance.

"The viciousness, the escalation of the violence is what is so striking," said Marc Ganis, president of Chicago-based SportsCorp, a sports business consulting firm. "It's escalated, perhaps, as a reflection of society."

Last season, the NFL averaged three arrests and 25 ejections per stadium per week, framing the recent events in San Francisco as a startling deviation.

"After Saturday, I heard so many people say, 'I'm not bringing my kids anymore,' " former 49ers president Carmen Policy told the San Francisco Chronicle. "That's a real problem for the NFL."

The NFL has noticed. Monday, the league and the Raiders released photos showing fans, including families, enjoying themselves at Sunday's game against the visiting New Orleans Saints. "Perception + reality, often not the same," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello wrote on Twitter.

Problem? Or perception of a problem? Factors to consider:

•Rivalry games spark animosity among fans.

"It derives from proximity," says Andrei S. Markovits, professor of sociology at the University of Michigan . "Civil wars have been shown to have much higher casualty rates than non-civil wars."

Add in tailgating and the accompanying uninhibited alcohol consumption and incidents can happen.

"They have to cut down on the alcohol consumption in the parking lots," Steve Ives, a 55-year old truck driver from New Haven, Conn., said at the Aug. 22 NFL game between the Chicago Bears and New York Giants. "Those fans are too intoxicated to control themselves. Then you get the violence."

•That can spawn the mob mentality.

"Negative actions can become viral when one event — a limited act of violence occurs in the stands — triggers similar events in other areas of the crowd," said Don Forsyth, professor of social psychology at the University of Richmond who has written extensively on fan behavior.

•Not to be overlooked is fallout from a stumbling economy.

"People are seeking opportunities to escape this horrible economy through sports," said Drexel psychology professor Charles Williams, who has studied group behavior. "But it doesn't address what lies beneath — anxiety, depression, feelings of hopelessness, fear."

•Rising ticket prices can create troublemakers out of haves and have-nots alike.

"Fans have been priced out of going to the games," said Ken Reed, sports policy director of Ralph Nader's League of Fans, "So in order to get some of the fan experience they tailgate and party the whole game, and some of the incidents in the parking lot can be attributed to just fans that haven't even gone into the games."

Those who pay can have an inflated sense of self-worth, said Earl Smith, professor of sociology at Wake Forest and author of eight books, including Race, Sport and the American Dream in 2007: "Fans feel they have an entitlement. The ticket prices are high enough so they come to games with a chip on their shoulder."

Adding alcohol, Smith said, doesn't help. Reed agrees.

."I think owners are playing with fire in that they want all this revenue from alcohol sales yet they don't want to deal with the responsibility of what alcohol does to their consumers," Reed said. "So I think they've got to step up a little in terms of keeping things safe if they want the revenue."

Each league's reliance on beer and liquor sales varies, Ganis said. By his count, an NFL team's alcohol revenue generally falls below $1 million in a season. Likewise, the parking revenue, derived in part from tailgating, maxes around $500,000.

In baseball, alcohol is a major slice of the revenue pie due to summer heat and the number and length of games, Ganis said. "Baseball counts on its beer money. It's meaningful revenue in baseball, and to a lesser degree, hockey and basketball, as well."

Ganis cites the rash of postgame drunk driving and lawsuits in the late 1990s as why clubs implemented stricter ID policies and seventh inning sales cutoffs — up to a point.

But no matter what teams make from alcohol, the real money, Ganis said, is in providing a safe and enjoyable environment.

"Further limiting alcohol would be another way of reducing fan enjoyment," Ganis said. "You want to let the fans who want to have a couple beers do so as part of their fan experience without having the excessive drinkers ruin the event or make it feel unsafe for everybody else.

"There's a balance that needs to be found there."

Reaching a 'tipping point'

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has been searching for that balance since his appointment in 2006. The league introduced a fan Code of Conduct in 2008 with an evolving list of best practices for stadiums, and a committee to oversee it.

They perform fan surveys and weekly audits of every franchise and issue grades at the end of each season. Since 2008 the league has seen incident reports and ejections rise and arrests drop, indicating the problem is being "nipped in the bud" said Jeffrey Miller, the NFL's director of strategic security services.

But this month's violence in San Francisco was "a clear sign that even though we do a lot, we need to do more — and we will do more," Miller said.

Officials with the 49ers decided that a healthy balance cannot be struck when the team meets the Raiders, at least not for now. Team president Jed York requested an end to the annual preseason meeting with the cross-bay rivals. Taking Miller's advice, the security presence has been increased at Candlestick Park and its parking lots, and the team has banned tailgating after the game has begun.

It was the kind of immediate action the 49ers had to take to restore confidence in their brand, said Jason Maloni, a senior vice president of Levick Strategic Communications, a Washington, D.C.-based crisis management firm that works with athletes and sports clubs.

"What we saw in San Francisco is what's called a 'tipping point,' " Maloni said. "When folks see that, they might think the problem is greater than it actually is. Or, they may be seeing a problem that's been there all along, just not staring at them on their television and computer screens."

Social media makes us more aware of these incidents, Maloni said. After the Raiders-49ers fiasco, dozens of videos emerged on YouTube and other websites depicting fans trading blows in the stands, stadium corridors and parking lots.

"In the short term, this increased exposure via social media to violence at the games will deter the fringe fan who may be concerned about their or their families' safety," said Erik Qualman, author of Socialnomics: How Social Media Transforms the Way We Live and Do Business in 2009. "Long term, it will result in a safer environment. The teams and leagues will be forced to confront an issue that they may have hoped would go away or take care of itself. The power of social media is it forces necessary change."

Although their "best practices" are not mandatory, the NFL said they are followed strictly by the franchises, with some taking extra steps to curb violence. The NFL Giants have cut alcohol sales altogether at some night games, with owner John Mara citing a desire to do "whatever it takes" to preserve a safe environment for fans.

Miller said some of the measures taken in East Rutherford, N.J., and San Francisco aren't necessary in other markets, and won't be part of the league's best practices.

"Obviously, some of the new measures are reactionary to the latest incidents," Reed said. "But generally, these problems aren't new and these measures need to be done proactively and to a greater extent across the leagues. Commissioners should be coming down on the owner of each franchise to come up with stronger safety policies, and then enforcing them."

Crowd-control issues

Dr. Stacey Hall, associate director of The National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security at the University of Southern Mississippi , said U.S. leagues can do more to be proactive. She points out the difference between crowd management and crowd control.

"Crowd management is the proactive," she said. "It's making sure that folks get in and out in a safe manner. Crowd control is more reactionary. … Something has already gone wrong."

Hall said U.S. venue staffs are lacking in both areas, especially compared to their counterparts in the United Kingdom , where fan violence stemming from hooliganism has produced national mandates for fan safety.

"They are ahead of the game in security only because they've been forced to. We have been fortunate enough to avoid major crowd problems," she said. "But with the increase in violence, stadium operators (must) take a closer look at safety and security."

In baseball, there is no such league-wide fan code of conduct or best practices committee. Most clubs voluntarily train with the non-profit Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management (TEAM Coalition), which is also involved with the NBA, NHL, NFL, NCAA and NASCAR. TEAM Coalition certifies stadium staffers in such training as recognizing the warning signs of impairment and enforcing underage drinking laws.

New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira has noticed improvement across the board: "If anything, I've actually seen less fights in the stands. But obviously, I'm not in the parking lots after games."

More than 70% of baseball venue workers have completed the program, the highest rate of any of the major leagues, said Jill Pepper, executive director of TEAM. "Anything better than 0% is a very big commitment from a franchise because this training is not mandated by the league."

Hall expects that to change, after the recent extreme violence, with the industry "headed towards some type of standardization. All of these tragedies are opening the eyes of folks in the industry and they're saying, 'Are we doing what we're supposed to be doing?' "

The confrontation factor

Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones said he doesn't bring his family to many road games because of the verbal abuse they endure, with alcohol consumption an added factor.

"At some point you're going to have to address the alcohol intake," he said. "I know you can't really regulate anything before they walk through the gates … but it just seems like you've got to do something to keep some sense in people. We know what liquid courage does."

He's not sure increased security is the answer.

"I don't know that increased security would do anything," Jones said. "I've seen people throw things right in front of a security officer and the guy looked the other way. I think they're as scared of confrontation as most people."

Hall points to several technological measures that teams can take to help fans regulate themselves. In the NFL, every stadium has a text-messaging program so fans can notify security of a dangerous situation. In baseball and hockey, most but not all clubs have such technology in place. NBA spokesman Mark Broussard said the league does not make its security plans and policies public.

Certain fans, however, will still make trouble.

"These are fans who really revel in the confrontation with other fans and drinking," said Daniel Wann, psychology professor at Murray State who has researched and written about fan behavior. "They don't want to be nice. Part of what they like about a sporting event is the confrontation and the trash-talking and vulgarities."

That attitude is still baffling to Jones, even after his 18 seasons in the big leagues.

"All of this is spurred by a sport," Jones said. "This is supposed to be fun." (source USA Today)

Another group of former NFL players has filed a lawsuit against the NFL and equipment makers Riddell and Easton, claiming that the league was negligent in its handling of head injuries during the players' careers.

The list of players includes Hall of Fame Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lee Roy Selmon, his brother and defensive teammate Dewey Selmon, former Buccaneers tight end Jimmie Giles and running back James Wilder and former New York Jets fullback Woody Bennett.

The suit was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court late Friday. It claims that the NFL and the equipment manufacturers knew the effects of brain injury, memory loss and dementia from trauma suffered on the football field for years and "acted with callous indifference" and "reckless abandon."

Another of the plaintiffs is Ralph Wenzel, who played with the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Diego Chargers from 1966 to 1973. He claims he was not warned of the risks of long-term injury and now suffers memory loss, headaches and sleeplessness.

Carolyn Lens, the widow of former Atlanta Falcon and St. Louis Cardinal Greg Lens, is also suing, claiming her husband "suffered a premature death as a result of these injuries."

At least two other groups of players previously sued the league claiming it was negligent in addressing safety issues relating to head injuries.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the league has not seen the complaint "but would vigorously contest any claims of this kind." This article was written by Lance Pugmire and appeared in The Los Angeles Times.

The NFLPA did not go to war with ownership so Michael Vick could sign a $100 million (U.S.) deal.

The ostensible idea of any union fight is to increase and then spread around the benefits of employment. In both cases, the players’ union failed. Good thing, too, because that’s part of what makes the NFL so popular.

The result of a lot of soft-Marxist rhetoric about workers controlling their labour was an increasingly Orwellian divide — all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.
The most equal of all are the quarterbacks, followed closely by those who protect the quarterback (tackles), those who compliment the quarterbacks (receivers) and especially those who hurt the quarterbacks (pass rushers).

The cull of those who must survive outside this nexus has been the story so far of the new NFL season. Bottom line: if you are a running back or an interior offensive lineman, be afeared. This league has a free pipeline to its minor-league system in college, and you are the easily replaceable tackling dummies.

If the trend continues, NFL offences will soon be comprised of a $30 million quarterback, a $15 million receiver, a $10 million blind-side tackle and eight other guys who have to take part-time jobs in the summer.

Part of what makes the NFL so attractive to its middle-class fan base is its stark divide between rich and poor (comparatively speaking). Contracts are conditional on health and performance. This year’s star is next year’s construction worker. Everyone but the gilded few is one turned ankle or two consecutive fumbles away from unemployment.

Baseball, basketball and hockey are filled to brimming with overpaid mooks who snookered some desperate GM into signing them to an insane long-term deal, staggering from one underwhelming season to the next, getting richer each year. Not so in the ruthless NFL, which makes it appealingly like real life.

Vick’s rehabilitation — both physical and moral — is the ne plus ultra of this trend.

In 2005, he signed a $130 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons, then the biggest in the league. In 2007, he was caught in a sting on a dog fighting ring. The Falcons tried to recoup $16 million of the front-loaded portion of his contract on the dubious legal basis that they didn’t like him any more. They failed. Vick was forced to declare bankruptcy in any case.

He was publicly flayed by the NFL, the Falcons and anyone else with access to a keyboard. He went to prison. He meekly accepted his humiliation, which set in motion his eventual atonement.

Throughout it all, Vick maintained the sort of soft-spoken, affectless personality that allowed others to project their opinions on to him. He was hateful when people hated him. He’s redemptive now that we’ve decided to redeem him. It’s unclear if Vick understands the circularity of these sorts of narratives, but the skill with which he has ridden this one out may be his greatest professional achievement.

Truth is, Vick was probably never as bad as he once seemed, nor as good as he seems now. Nobody ever is.

As soon as he was released from jail, the NFL swung into ‘let’s give the man a chance’ mode. This league thrives despite the transience of its stars, but it’s always short of quarterbacks. Bankrupt dog-fighting enthusiasts who play safety end up working at gas stations; quarterbacks get the benefit of the doubt.

According to Vick, he was steered away from the starter’s spotlight in Cincinnati and Buffalo and offered a third-string job with Philadelphia. Again, he quietly took what he was given. Two years later, his sins are expunged and he has just pocketed $40 million in up-front money.

Is that fair?

No, which is why it works.

In this corner of professional sport, you accept what comes to you because the lineup for your job stretches down the block. Michael Vick trusted that system, and it has made him wealthy again. Few have the talent or the luck in the position they play to follow his lead — that rarity of opportunity makes his story that much more compelling.

Ad agency constructs like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning may get the uncritical love, but it is Vick who is the representative man of the new NFL. This article was written by Cathal Kelly and appeared in The Toronto Star.

A day after Gov. Mark Dayton said he'd support allowing Ramsey County voters to decide on a sales tax for a Minnesota Vikings stadium, a key supporter conceded that if asked, voters wouldn’t agree to pay more.

In an interview Monday at the Star Tribune’s State Fair booth, Dayton said he would support allowing county voters to decide on a proposed half-cent sales tax increase for a new stadium.

Ramsey County has an agreement with the Vikings to build a $1 billion stadium on a former munitions site in Arden Hills. The deal includes a half-cent sales tax increase for Ramsey County to pay $350 million for the stadium. The state also would be expected to pitch in $300 million.

A countywide vote on the project could doom the deal.

When the Legislature approved Target Field for the Twins, the law specifically rejected a sales-tax referendum. Vikings owner Zygi Wilf said the same should occur for the Vikings’ stadium proposal. “We would like to be held on the same playing field as the Twins,” Wilf said to reporters after a very brief question-and-answer session with audience members at the St. Paul Rotary luncheon.

Asked if he thought a referendum would fail, Wilf said he couldn’t say.

But Ramsey County Commissioner Tony Bennett told the 100-plus Rotarians at the luncheon that any referendum, including the sales tax for a stadium, would fail “in this climate.” Bennett is a prime pusher of the Ramsey County stadium proposal.

The Ramsey County Charter Commission is meeting Wednesday evening to discuss a possible ballot question on the sales tax.

The question wouldn’t be on the ballot until November 2012. The Vikings have said they want a fall special session to vote on a stadium bill.

Wilf reiterated to reporters that he wants the issue “to be heard as soon as possible” and moving to Arden Hills is “Plan A.” He said he had not considered a “Plan B” yet.

Vikings Vice President Lester Bagley told reporters he was informed the governor wouldn’t push for a referendum, but would sign a bill including one.

Dayton was with President Obama through much of the morning Tuesday and not available for comment.

Metropolitan Sports Facilities Chairman Ted Mondale, Dayton’s
hand-picked stadium czar, was seeking clarification from Dayton.

Asked if he and Dayton had discussed a referendum requirement, Mondale said, “No, this is the first time the issue has come up at his level.” This article was written by Rochelle Olson and appeared in The Minneapolis Star Tribune.

The first football game following MetLife's 25-year deal for naming rights for the facility formerly known as The New Meadowlands Stadium was finally played on Monday night between the Giants and the Jets - two days after the original schedule date. The Category 1 Irene forced the originally scheduled 7 P.M. start this past Saturday night to be pushed up to 2 P.M. that same afternoon. Then on Friday evening, both the Giants and Jets along with the NFL decided to play it safe and reschedule the game for Monday night.

The entire tri-state area was a mess with record rainfall and winds wreaking havoc. As of Monday morning, an estimated 900,000 in New Jersey were still without power and some regions were not expecting to be back on the grid until the end of the week. In fact, the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center in Florham Park , N.J. is currently without power and all business operations have been moved to MetLife Stadium, which both the Giants and Jets share, until power is restored.

Because the game was originally scheduled for Saturday night then was subsequently moved up to early afternoon to avoid Irene, the Jets ended up staying in their team hotel on Saturday and Sunday nights. The moved date to Monday meant that the team reported to their facility on Saturday morning to watch film before going back to their hotel. Sunday was a day off with no organized meetings or team activities.

"I think the wacky schedule, it got us off to a slow start," Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez(notes) said.

Perhaps the time off had some impact as the two teams were scoreless after the first quarter and the Jets held just a 7-3 lead at halftime. After all, the Jets didn't hit in practice since Wednesday and the long layoff may have produced some rust.

"It didn't take us out of any rhythm. In fact, I think after camp, it's been good for us to rest our bodies," Jets cornerback Donald Strickland(notes) told Yahoo! Sports. "I spent all day Sunday in bed, just resting and sleeping. No pool or nothing. Just stayed in bed."

Perhaps the Giants and Jets fanbase stayed in their beds to watch each team's third preseason game, or given the substandard level of play, better perhaps if they were under their beds. The crowd on Monday night was sparse, even by preseason standards. An hour before kickoff, the two teams warming up on the field combined for more people than there were in the stands.

Fans reported normal drive times to the stadium, perhaps even faster than usual, the result of most roads around the stadium experiencing less rush hour traffic due to Irene impacting the number of commuters. There were hurdles as the Metro Transit Authority (MTA) was not running from New York Penn Station to the Meadowlands and there was no NJ Transit running other than the local, light rail. About 20 minutes west of MetLife Stadium, Routes 46 and 23 were completely shut down in the town of Fairfield , N.J. due to flooding, closing two major routes to the Meadowlands.

But despite the washout that ground to a halt much of the area for the better parts of the past two days, the small crowd, announced as 76,208 paid attendance but in actuality was half that, was happy to talk about anything but Irene.

"I think it is all behind us now, Irene and everything," said Giants fan Brian Bremner of Nutley , N.J. "I think tonight, I don't have to think about this storm anymore. It's about football for the next few hours, nothing else."

Steve Acker, a Giants season ticket holder, went to some great lengths to make the 25-minute trip from Waldwick , N.J. for the game following what he called "probably the worst storm I've ever seen." This is Acker's second year as a season ticket holder and he took daughter Skyler to the game, despite a downed power line in front of his house.

"My sister-in-law Diane picked us up at our house because we couldn't get out ofour driveway," Acker said. "We then picked up a rental car and if there is work tomorrow, I will use it to get there. But I'm not thinking about anything right now other than just some football and watching my Giants." (source Yahoo Sports)

This was inevitable.

The Eagles had already walked too far down a road without exits to prevent the financial windfall that Michael Vick reaped yesterday when the two sides agreed on a 6-year contract worth $100 million, with $40 million guaranteed.

Cha-ching, the prodigal quarterback has received his final reward for changing his ways.

Virtually all that was thrown away has been regained.

And if Vick has to be forever referred to as a "dog killer" by those who cannot forgive him, he'll live with that - wealthily.

But this is no longer about the bad decisions that cost Vick his first run at football fame and fortune.

That story has been debated up and down since the Eagles signed Vick after he was released from federal prison 2 years ago.

This is about the Eagles - a franchise that has made a substantial "all-in" bet on a quarterback who is far from a guarantee of success.

Honestly, I thought they had a better conceived plan when they executed the long-prepared transition of Kevin Kolb from Donovan McNabb's backup to franchise quarterback at the start of the 2010 season.

Eagles fans know the story:

Kolb got a concussion less than a half into the opening game. Vick starred in a relief role.

Then meticulous coach Andy Reid pulled the biggest 180-degree turn of his career by first saying Kolb would return as the starter, then giving the job to Vick permanently a day later.

I wrote then, and still say today, that I would have stayed with Kolb.

This entire Vick-revival would have never happened under my watch, because I would have given Kolb a legitimate chance - not one half of football - to show whether he was truly a franchise quarterback.

I'm not saying Kolb would have done as well as Vick. I'm saying that to this day, there is no way to know.

The Eagles decided never to find out, because as soon as Vick was named the permanent starter, a long-term deal between him and the team was consummated.

Kolb was going to be traded, and Vick was going to get an extension.

The only questions were for how long and for how much money?

Now we know.

I am not stupid enough to say Vick has not earned this opportunity. He had an MVP-worthy season in 2010, when he completed 233 of 372 passes for 3,018 yards with 21 touchdowns, both career highs.

Including rushing, Vick totaled 3,694 yards and 30 touchdowns. The Eagles finished 10-6 and won the NFC East.

Quite honestly, it's impossible to say the Eagles made a bad decision based on that body of work. Still, conceding that the Eagles didn't make a bad decision doesn't necessarily mean I think they made the right one.

If I were in charge, I would need to see a bigger body of work than that to commit the fate of my franchise to Vick.

With a yearly salary average of about $16.67 million a year, Vick, 31, is third only to Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and Colts quarterback Peyton Manning.

The Eagles have valued Vick in a class with Brady, Manning, the Saints' Drew Brees and the Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger. But those quarterbacks have all done something Vick has not - led his team to a Super Bowl title.

By comparison, Vick's accomplishments as an Eagle are extremely modest. Vick has made 11 starts and won eight games for the Eagles.

His last game, the playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers, ended a lot like the ones for which McNabb was raked over the coals.

Vick had the ball in his hands with a chance to win the game and threw an interception.

That's a lot of cash and salary-cap commitment for eight wins and another Eagles playoff failure.

"I'm very happy we were able to reach an agreement with Michael on this long-term contract," Reid said. "I'm very proud that he has been able to achieve success again in this league, but he'll be the first one to tell you that there is a lot of work yet to be done by him and this team as a whole.

"There's no doubt in my mind that he will continue on that path."

Reid had better be right, because wherever this path leads for Vick - successful or unsuccessful - the entire Eagles organization is going there with him. (source Philadelphia Inquirer)

The National Football League and the NFL Players Association will contribute $1 million to three memorials and two charities related to the events of September 11, 2001, it was announced today.

The first Sunday of the NFL regular season falls on the 10th anniversary of September 11, 2001.

The NFL and NFLPA will contribute $500,000 to the 9/11 Museum & Memorial in Lower Manhattan, and $250,000 to be divided between the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, PA and the Pentagon Memorial Fund in Washington, D.C.

In addition, the NFL and NFLPA will donate all proceeds from the sale of auction items from games played on Sunday, September 11. These items, which fans can bid on at www.NFL.com/Auction, will include game-worn autographed player jerseys, coaches and player hats, and commemorative game coins used during those games.

NFL Auction proceeds will be divided equally between Tuesday’s Children and MyGoodDeed. Tuesday’s Children is a leading organization providing support and services to those who lost a loved one on 9/11, as well as to rescue and recovery workers who responded to the events. As the principle organizer of the September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance, MyGoodDeed is providing a positive, forward-looking way for Americans to honor and remember 9/11 victims, survivors, and first-responders.

NFL Auction proceeds from 9/11/11 are expected to total at least $250,000. Including the $750,000 in charitable donations to the national 9/11 memorials, total NFL-NFLPA donations will reach $1 million.

The NFL-NFLPA contributions complement donations made to the 9/11 Museum and Memorial by the New York Giants through the Tisch Family Foundation and the New York Jets.

About the Flight 93 Memorial
On Sept. 24, 2002, President Bush signed into law the Flight 93 National Memorial Act. The Act created a new national park unit to commemorate the passengers and crew of Flight 93 who, on September 11, 2001, courageously gave their lives thereby thwarting a planned attack on our nation’s capital. The memorial is near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where Flight 93 crashed with the loss of its 40 passengers and crew. For more information about the Flight 93 National Memorial, please visit www.nps.gov/flni. For information on how to make a donation and help build the memorial, go to www.honorflight93.org.

About the Pentagon Memorial
The Pentagon Memorial Fund is a non-profit organization established by the families of the 184 victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in Washington, DC. The Memorial Fund's mission is to provide education resources concerning the Pentagon Memorial and the events of September 11, 2001, as well as raising funds to preserve the Memorial for future generations. The Pentagon Memorial is a two acre park adjacent to the Pentagon that provides a place for reflection, remembrance and renewal. For more information about the Pentagon Memorial, please visit www.pentagonmemorial.org.

About the 9/11 Memorial and Museum
The National September 11 Memorial & Museum is the not-for-profit corporation created to oversee the design, raise the funds, and program and operate the Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center site. The Memorial and Museum will be located on eight of the 16 acres of the site. The Memorial will be dedicated on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and will open to the public the following day. The Museum will open in 2012.

The Memorial will remember and honor the nearly 3,000 people who died in the horrific attacks of September 11, 2001 and February 26, 1993. The design, created by Michael Arad and Peter Walker, consists of two pools formed in the footprints of the original Twin Towers and a plaza of trees.

The Museum will display monumental artifacts linked to the events of 9/11, while presenting intimate stories of loss, compassion, reckoning and recovery that are central to telling the story of the 2001 attacks and the aftermath. It will communicate key messages that embrace both the specificity and the universal implications of the events of 9/11; document the impact of those events on individual lives, as well as on local, national, and international communities; and explore the continuing significance of these events for our global community.

When the Memorial opens, construction will continue on the other World Trade Center projects and free visitor passes will be temporarily required. To plan a visit to the Memorial or learn how to contribute, go to www.911memorial.org. Follow the Memorial & Museum on Twitter: @sept11memorial. For more information, contact: Michael Frazier/Sarah Lippman 212-312-8800.

Colts at Bengals, Broncos at Cardinals and Raiders at Seahawks will air live on NFL Network.

It’s the final week of the preseason and young players around the league know this is their time to shine.

With final NFL roster cuts to 53 players this Saturday, this week’s games are a last chance for many players to make their team’s roster. The starters are basically set throughout the league as are the key backup positions. It’s the “bubble” players who are out to impress.

“The young guys in the NFL, they know this is their game,” says ESPN analyst and former NFL head coach HERM EDWARDS. “It’s real important for a young player and a rookie trying to make a team.”

For many of these young players, they know this is their last opportunity to make the final 53.

The final week of the preseason features three games on national TV as NFL Network delivers all the action.

Thursday night, September 1, will showcase a doubleheader. The Indianapolis Colts will visit the Cincinnati Bengals in the early matchup (7:00 PM ET) and the Arizona Cardinals will host the Denver Broncos in the nightcap (10:00 PM ET). On Friday, NFL Network will bring fans live coverage when the Seattle Seahawks welcome the Oakland Raiders to town (10:30 PM ET).

Some of the highlight games in Week 4 of the NFL preseason:










INDIANAPOLIS at CINCINNATI
(Thursday, NFLN, 7:00 PM ET): Last week, Indianapolis quarterback CURTIS PAINTER passed for 171 yards and two TDs, including a 57-yard strike to wide receiver REGGIE WAYNE.

“He took over the huddle,” said Wayne about Painter. “That’s what you want to see in a quarterback. You want to go out there and make plays for him, to give him that confidence. He did a good job.”

Painter elevated his play days after the team signed veteran quarterback KERRY COLLINS. Collins ranks second among active quarterbacks in attempts (6,163), completions (3,439) and passing yards (40,441). He trails teammate and Colts starter PEYTON MANNING in all three categories.

The Bengals defeated Carolina 24-13 last week as rookie quarterback ANDY DALTON (second round, No. 35 overall) played the best game of his young career. He completed 11 of 17 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown as he led four first-half scoring drives.

“Andy did things well,” said Cincinnati head coach MARVIN LEWIS after the game. “He really just settled down and played at ease.”

Dalton connected with rookie wide receiver A.J. GREEN (first round, No. 4 overall) on a 40-yard touchdown and the Bengals hope there are many more to come.

“It’s like a dream come true,” said Green about his touchdown. “I know we have a chance to be great. I’ve said since day one that the sky is the limit for us with this offense.”

The offense also ran the ball effectively as CEDRIC BENSON gained 68 yards in the first half and BERNARD SCOTT added 63 yards on six carries in the second quarter.

“We came out running the ball well,” said Dalton. “The way we were running ball, they had to stack the box, and we were able to take advantage.”











DENVER at ARIZONA
(Thursday, NFLN, 10:00 PM ET): A strong pass rush helped propel the Broncos past Seattle last weekend. Denver recorded five sacks in the 23-20 victory, including two by rookie linebacker VON MILLER (first round, No. 2 overall) and 1.5 by defensive end ELVIS DUMERVIL.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen a pass rush like that,” said Broncos cornerback CHAMP BAILEY. “And if we can keep that up all year, we’re going to have a good year.”

Denver quarterback KYLE ORTON passed for 236 yards with one touchdown and QB TIM TEBOW (93 passing yards, 25 rushing yards) helped set up the game-winning field goal.

“We wanted to come out and play really well this week,” said Orton.

The Cardinals got big plays out of their starters last week. Quarterback KEVIN KOLB (205 passing yards) connected with wide receiver LARRY FITZGERALD (108 receiving yards) on an 80-yard touchdown pass, wide receiver ANDRE ROBERTS scored on a 34-yard run and rookie cornerback PATRICK PETERSON (first round, No. 5 overall) had a 34-yard interception-return touchdown.

“The touchdown (to Fitzgerald) was a unique play,” Kolb said. “We actually made that adjustment at the line. Obviously, the coaches were pleased with us communicating like that. I’ve said the sky’s the limit for our offense, because the more I can take on and be able to communicate with those guys, the better we’re going to be.”

For Peterson, his first career touchdown was a special moment for the rookie out of LSU.

“I was screaming all the way to the end zone,” Peterson said.










OAKLAND at SEATTLE
(Friday, NFLN, 10:30 PM ET): The Raiders and Seahawks will meet on Friday night to close out the 2011 preseason.

Oakland quarterback JASON CAMPBELL completed 12 of 17 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown last week. Wide receiver DEREK HAGAN had six catches for 121 yards and a TD.

“I’m just comfortable,” said Hagan after the game. “I know how to get open. I know how to run routes. And it all comes down to really just studying.”

On the ground, the Raiders got 32 yards from starter MICHAEL BUSH (6.4 average) and 81 yards and a score from rookie TAIWAN JONES (fourth round, No. 125 overall).

For Seattle, QB TARVARIS JACKSON connected with tight end DOMINIQUE BYRD last week on a touchdown.

“We got some points on the board,” said Jackson, “so that was a good thing to show the guys we can do it.”

Undrafted rookie free agent DOUG BALDWIN, who starred at Stanford, ignited the Seahawks with an electric 105-yard kickoff-return touchdown.

“Doug’s been very effective this preseason so far,” said Seattle head coach PETE CARROLL. “There’s really been nothing that he’s been asked to do that he can’t do. He’s made a big impression. He’s making a loud noise about ‘I need to be on this team.’ And good for him.”


WINNING IS A HABIT:
Thirty-four of the 45 Super Bowl champions (75.6 percent) finished the preseason with a winning percentage of at least .500.

Since 2000, the 11 Super Bowl champions have combined for a 28-16 (.636) preseason record during their championship seasons.

TO CELEBRATE START OF THE NFL SEASON AND GREEN BAY PACKERS SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONSHIP THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8

SHOW TO FEATURE PERFORMANCES BY KID ROCK, LADY ANTEBELLUM & MAROON 5

NBC/NFL Network Special On Sept. 8, 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. ET
Precedes NFL Kickoff Game:
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS vs. GREEN BAY PACKERS

It’s time to get Back To Football as the NFL begins its 92nd season with an unprecedented celebration in its special pregame show, "NFL KICKOFF 2011 PRESENTED BY EA SPORTS” – 7:30 PM ET Thursday, September 8. KID ROCK, LADY ANTEBELLUM and MAROON 5 are scheduled to perform.

There will be simulcast coverage of the 60-minute pregame show from Lambeau Field which will air from 7:30 – 8:30 PM ET on NBC and NFL Network. The live pregame broadcast also will be available via NFL Mobile only from Verizon.

The musical performances are part of the celebration to kick off the 2011 season and to honor the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers. This is the 10th consecutive Kickoff celebration to start the season and the eighth consecutive year the NFL has saluted the Super Bowl champions with the opening game in their stadium on a Thursday in primetime.

The show leads into the season opener between the Packers and the New Orleans Saints at Lambeau Field (NBC, Westwood One Radio Sports, 8:30 PM ET).

As part of the pregame celebration, 32 legendary NFL alumni, one representing each team, will be on the field holding their team’s flag. More details about the pregame celebration, including the National Anthem, will be announced shortly.

The NBC show will feature performances by award-winning artists Kid Rock, Lady Antebellum and Maroon 5 from a stage adjacent to Lambeau Field. More information on how fans can watch the free concert can be found here.

In addition to the concert and game, the festivities to kick off Week One of the NFL season include youth clinics and a Gameday Village in Green Bay that week.

NFL KICKOFF 2011 will be executive produced by RICKY KIRSHNER, the Executive Producer of the Super Bowl pregame and halftime shows and directed by GREGG GELFAND.

In addition to presenting sponsor EA SPORTS, top tier sponsors for the NFL’s Kickoff platform include Bud Light, GMC, Pepsi, Snickers, Verizon and Visa and associate sponsors include Castrol, Gatorade and Papa John’s.

Media may visit www.nflmedia.com to apply for credentials to cover “NFL Kickoff 2011.” The credential deadline is Thursday, September 1.

HISTORY OF NFL OPENING KICKOFF EVENTS

9/5/2002
Times Square, New York
CBS, MTV, VH1 and ESPN
Bon Jovi, Enrique Iglesias, Alicia Keys, Eve, Cast of Broadway musical Rent with Joey Fatone of NSYNC
San Francisco at NY Giants (ESPN)

9/4/2003
The National Mall, Washington, DC
ABC
Aerosmith, Mary J. Blige, Aretha Franklin, Britney Spears, Good Charlotte
NY Jets at Washington (ESPN)

9/9/2004
Gillette Stadium, New England/ Metropolitan Park, Jacksonville
ABC
Boston Pops, Mary J. Blige, Destiny’s Child, Elton John, Toby Keith, Lenny Kravitz (NE); Jessica Simpson (Jax.)
Indianapolis at New England (ABC)

9/8/2005
Gillette Stadium, New England/ Los Angeles Coliseum, LA/Detroit
ABC
Green Day, Santana, Michelle Branch, Ozzy Osbourne, Trisha Yearwood (NE); Kanye West, Maroon 5, Good Charlotte, Rihanna (LA); Rolling Stones (taped from Detroit)
Oakland at New England (ABC)

9/7/2006
Heinz Field, Pittsburgh/Miami
NBC
Rascal Flatts, Martina McBride (Anthem) (Pitt.); Diddy, Cassie, Yung Joc, Tego Calderon (Miami)
Miami at Pittsburgh (NBC)

9/6/2007
Monument Circle/RCA Dome, Indianapolis
NBC, NFLN
John Mellencamp, Faith Hill, Kelly Clarkson, Hinder, Keyshia Cole & Voices of Unity Youth Choir (Anthem)
New Orleans at Indianapolis (NBC)

9/4/2008
Columbus Circle, New York City/Giants Stadium, New Jersey
NFLN, NBC
Natasha Bedingfield, Keith Urban, Usher
Washington at New York Giants (NBC)

9/10/2009
Point State Park/Heinz Field, Pittsburgh
NFLN, NBC
Tim McGraw, The Black Eyed Peas, Harry Connick Jr. (Anthem)
Tennessee at Pittsburgh (NBC)

9/9/2010
Jackson Square (Parade & Concert) /Superdome, New Orleans
NFLN, NBC
Dave Matthews Band, Taylor Swift, Harry Connick Jr., Colbie Caillat (Anthem)
Minnesota at New Orleans (NBC)

9/8/2011
Lambeau Field,
Green Bay
NFLN, NBC
Kid Rock, Lady Antebellum, Maroon 5
New Orleans at Green Bay (NBC)

If it weren't clear before, it is now: Michael Vick is the face of the Eagles franchise.

The Eagles and Vick agreed to a six-year, $100 million contract with $40 million guaranteed, NFL sources said Monday night.

The team later confirmed the length of the deal, which locks the quarterback up through the 2016 season. Vick's return to prominence has been remarkable and faster than anyone could have imagined.

In 2007, he lost nearly everything when he was convicted on dogfighting charges and sent to prison. In the last 12 months he's gotten nearly everything back: a starting job, endorsement deals and a blockbuster contract.

"I'm very happy we were able to reach an agreement with Michael on this long-term contract," Eagles coach Andy Reid said in a statement. "It's a product of all the hard work Michael has done to better himself over the last couple of years, both on and off the field.

"I'm very proud that he has been able to achieve success again in this league, but he'll be the first one to tell you that there is a lot of work yet to be done by him and this team as a whole. And there's no doubt in my mind that he will continue on that path."

Vick, 31, did not return a message left seeking comment. The Eagles have a news conference with Vick and Reid scheduled for Tuesday at 2:30 p.m.

Vick's deal makes him among the highest-paid players in the game - again. His per year base salary of $16.7 million is less than only Patriots quarterback Tom Brady ($18.01) and Colts quarterback Peyton Manning ($18 million), but is more than N.Y. Giants quarterback Eli Manning ($16.25 million) and Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers ($15.3 million).

Brady signed a reported five-year, $78.5 million contract with $48.5 million guaranteed in September 2009. Peyton Manning's deal came last month when he inked a reported five-year, $90 million contract with $54.4 million of that guaranteed.

The Eagles have spent an incredible amount of money since the lockout ended in late July - approximately $225 million in contracts to rookies, free agents and now Vick.

Vick's contract is his second nine-figure deal. In 2005, the Falcons signed the 2001 No. 1 overall draft pick to a 10-year, $130 million contract. Two years later Vick forfeited most of the remaining money when he was charged with running a dogfighting operation. He eventually filed for bankruptcy while serving an 18-month prison term and still owes creditors millions.

The new deal replaces the one-year franchise tender Vick signed in March. The Eagles had until Sept. 20 to give Vick a new contract or they would have had to wait until after the season to re-sign him. All signs, however, pointed to something getting done, as Vick remained patient.

"If it's supposed to happen, it'll happen," Vick said during training camp. "The worst thing you can do is think about it."

Vick would have made $16.2 million from the one-year tender, but the Eagles trimmed his 2011 figure to $14.4, clearing salary cap space. They have roughly $3.7 million in cap space but could have more when the roster is pared down to 53 by Saturday.

Eagles president Joe Banner and Vick's agent, Joel Segal, negotiated the contract.

With Vick done, the Eagles could now turn their sights to DeSean Jackson, who wants a new contract. The wide receiver, in the last year of a four-year contract that will net him roughly $600,000, held out from the first 11 days of training camp.

While Jackson sat out, Vick never made a fuss about a new deal.

"I'm not concerned about that, whether he's first or I'm first," Vick said a few weeks ago. "We haven't talked about it. We are both important to the team so whoever goes first it doesn't matter to me. Our play has got to speak for itself."

Signed in August 2009 to a two-year deal, Vick came to the Eagles in a cloud of controversy. He spent most of his first season in Philadelphia as the third-string quarterback and occasional Wildcat weapon.

When the Eagles traded then-franchise quarterback Donovan McNabb to Washington in April 2010, Kevin Kolb was named the starter and Vick his backup. But when Kolb suffered a concussion in the season opener, Vick came in and nearly guided the Eagles to a comeback victory. He won in the next two games as Kolb recovered and was named the starter soon after.

He went 8-3 as a starter as the Eagles won the NFC East crown. He had statistically his best season with career highs in passer rating (100.2), completion percentage (62.6) and passing yards (3,018). He earned his fourth career Pro Bowl nod and was named the 2010 Comeback Player of the Year by the Associated Press, Sporting News, and Pro Football Weekly.

In January, he signed with two small companies in endorsement deals and was welcomed back by Nike in July.

Eagles players, like linebacker Jamar Chaney, wide receiver Riley Cooper and defensive end Brandon Graham, offered their congratulations to Vick on Twitter.

"Reason y I'm happy bout that 100 million deal cuz every time we go out [Vick] got the TAB lol," running back LeSean McCoy tweeted. (source Philadelphia Inquirer)

The very best video games are those that permit gamers to dwell inside a world in which they would never otherwise be allowed. In particular, sports games give those of us born without superhuman speed or strength the chance to dominate when we would normally be asked to pay a stunning sum just for the privilege of sitting up close.

The Madden NFL Series from EA Sports began in 1988, and it consistently ranks among the year’s 10 best-selling games. Madden is a staple for sports gamers, and is firmly ingrained in the culture of sports, spawning ancillary businesses: tours, television shows, guidebooks. It has been a must-play game long enough that not only have most N.F.L. players grown up playing the game, there are now N.F.L. coaches weaned on Madden: Raheem Morris, the coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, once joked that he majored in Madden in college.

The latest iteration, Madden NFL 12, is out Tuesday. Madden 12 of fers no new game modes from Madden 11, instead focusing on adding to the pre-existing. The franchise mode has been deepened, with additions like the ability to trade picks from future drafts. A bidding system adds suspense to the free agency period, although it can be a confusing experience, at least the first time around. While trying to sift through menu layers and decide where to best spend my money, and simultaneously keep tabs on available players, I somehow ended up winning the bidding on a highly rated defensive end, even though depth at defensive end was my franchise’s biggest strength. I ended up sweating, wondering if I’d hurt my franchise for years to come.

Some graphical updates make the look of the game more realistic. This year, for instance, we see green stickers on helmets wired for sound, plus a new “degradation system” that accurately displays wear and tear on uniforms. When the weather is bad, small raindrops occasionally land on the camera lens. While playing zone defense, defenders point to receivers as they cross into other zones; you can almost imagine them yelling, “You get him!” Game presentation has been pumped up, particularly pregame introductions and the coin toss, which are now shown with an unstable, hand-held-style camera that adds to the anticipation of the kickoff.

Other adjustments add realism to the game play. Tackling has been revamped, requiring more precision from defenders than before. Cornerbacks are quick to jump short passes to wide receivers, and middle linebackers seem more aware of passes between the hash marks, making it tougher to squeeze the ball in on intermediate crossing patterns. In Madden 11, passes into coverage too often ended up bouncing off an unsuspecting player’s helmet. That has been addressed in Madden 12, and in general, the artificial intelligence of the players seems much improved.

Madden 12 has such a commitment to replicating the N.F.L. game that even gamers who are experienced with the franchise may find themselves struggling to catch up, at least initially. The insider lingo can be daunting, as new defensive formations include “4-3 Over Plus” and “Sub 3-3-5 Odd,” and offensive formations include mouthfuls like “Gun Normal Y-Flex Tight.” To simplify or speed up the games, as part of the GameFlow feature you can rely on your offensive coordinator to suggest plays. Unfortunately, my coach kept suggesting we run the ball in the two-minute drill, despite being out of timeouts; I audibled to passing plays.

In a game so focused on realism and without any glaring errors, it is only the little things that detract from the overall experience. I played an entire season in franchise mode and saw no blocked punts. Pass interference was called so infrequently, I wondered if it had been turned off in the game’s options. The game’s announcers, Cris Collinsworth and Gus Johnson, get locked into talking points, and the commenting frequently lags behind the game play. (In an Atlanta-Chicago game, while Dunta Robinson was in the midst of an interception and long return for a touchdown, Collinsworth talked calmly about what a complete running back Matt Forte has turned out to be for the Bears.)

While it’s not an evolutionary leap from Madden NFL 11 to 12, there is no escaping that Madden 12 is a game that both gamers and N.F.L. fans will want to play. Even though it hurts to admit it, the truth is, the most egregious mistakes in Madden NFL 12 were my own. There were times I would drop back to pass, anticipate a receiver coming open, but pass the ball too late, resulting in an interception. While my initial reaction was to throw my controller at the TV and blame my quarterback — “Come on, Sanchez! Hit the open man!” — there’s no escaping the understanding that when playing Madden, there’s no one to blame for poor decisions but yourself. (source New York Times)

The new Madden game is released at midnight, and it features Browns running back Peyton Hillis on the cover.

But Hillis says he isn’t thinking about the fact that his face will be on a plastic box that will get cast aside in millions of homes after the contents are placed in one of the various consoles on which it can be played.

“No, just because we are in the middle of football now and the regular season is in a couple of weeks,” Hillis said Monday. “We have our last preseason game. I am more focused on that right now instead of the game.”

Still, he likes the fact that he was voted by fans to appear on the cover.

“It’s exciting,” Hillis. “I’ve been very blessed and I am kind of speechless at times, but you never can lose focus. You never can stay enough humbled. You just have to go out there and do what you can. I am very grateful for the opportunity that I had, but it’s time to move on and get focused on more important things.”

Helping Hillis stay focused is the presence of Montarrio Hardesty, a second-round pick in 2010 who missed all of his rookie season with a knee injury. Coach Pat Shurmur recently gushed about Hardesty’s potential.

“I know why [G.M.] Tom [Heckert] drafted him because I evaluated him when he came out,” Shurmur said Saturday. “I just had a different mailing address. I think we’re starting to see what he is and was in college. I’m hopeful that he’s going to get to that level.”

So what does Shurmur like about Hardesty? “I think he’s quick,” Shurmur said. “I think he’s got excellent vision. Again, much like a lineman blocking in there, the holes and creases aren’t always large and you’ve got to be able to press it and jump through it. I think he can do that well. He has the instinct to run to daylight. I think he’s a solid guy in terms of his physique where he can be a good pass protector and I think he also catches the ball well. That’s what we expect to see.”

If Hardesty stays healthy, the Browns could end up having a Warrick Dunn/Mike Alstott dynamic, possibly with both players on the field at the same time. (Actually, given Hardesty’s size, it could be more like a Mike Alstott/Mike Alstott dynamic.)

“I think we’ve put in packages of plays that we can either run with a fullback and a traditional tailback, two tailbacks or two fullbacks,” Shurmur said. “How we use those guys would be based on who’s healthy and available each week. If we have a roster where we’re going in and playing a game where Montario and Peyton are both available I think it makes sense to put them in there a small percentage of the time.”

For now, Shurmur can experiment with his H&H formations on Madden; Hillis provided the coach with a free copy of the game.

The only problem? Hillis gave Shurmur a copy of the game for a system other than the system that Shurmur’s kid uses. (source Pro Football Talk.com)

Anti-doping pioneer Don Catlin says he understands why NFL Players Association officials continue to have questions about the reliability of human growth hormone tests after last week's meeting with the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Catlin, best known as the scientist who identified the designer steroid THG, says WADA is notoriously reluctant to share its data about blood screening for HGH.

"I'd like to look at the data, but WADA doesn't disclose its information so an independent scientist can review it," said Catlin, the founder of the UCLA Olympic Analytical Laboratory, the first anti-doping lab in the United States.

WADA has not shared information with other anti-doping researchers about the rate of false positives and false negatives since it began testing athletes' blood for HGH, said Catlin, now the chief executive officer of Anti-Doping Research, a Los Angeles nonprofit organization, making it hard to determine how effective the test really is.

"Every test will have false positives," Catlin said. "The question is, what percentage can a sport stand? We understand that people are sometimes put in jail or even put to death because of mistakes. One in 10,000 - is that acceptable? It's not if you are that one person, but it's acceptable to most of us. But if it is one in 10, then you know we are not there yet. When you put the information out there for other people to review, that's when it gets serious."

But a source familiar with the NFLPA's HGH negotiations with the league believes the Players Association's claims that WADA officials weren't transparent during their three-hour meeting in Montreal on Wednesday had more to do with union politics than WADA's presentation.

"DeMaurice Smith (the union's chief executive officer) agreed to HGH testing too early and now he's trying to look tough for his members," the source said. "He's trying to buy time for players who used performance-enhancing drugs during the lockout to clear their systems."

The source said scientists who attended the meeting at the behest of the NFLPA were satisfied with WADA's presentation, but outside counsel Maurice Suh, who represented cyclist Floyd Landis after his 2006 Tour de France title was stripped because of doping, demanded to see documents from every HGH test WADA has ever conducted. "Suh was totally unreasonable," the source said. "The union was playing a game."

Suh and union spokesman George Atallah did not return calls for comment. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy referred questions to WADA; a WADA spokeswoman said director general David Howman could not be reached for comment.

The NFL and its union agreed in principle to screen players' blood for growth hormone in the collective bargaining agreement both sides signed after the league's five-month lockout ended at the beginning of the month.

The union, however, has expressed concerns about the appeals process for players who test positive, as well as the reliability of screening players' blood for HGH. Critics have questioned the validity of the growth hormone test, in part because drug screeners have only a brief window - anywhere from 12 to 24 hours - to detect HGH after it has been injected into an athlete's body.

"I'd like a test with at least a week of retrospectivity, but that's OK as long as it is not giving a high number of false positives," Catlin said.

The test was first introduced at the 2004 Summer Games in Athens, but the first positive test wasn't announced until last year, when British rugby player Terry Newton was banned from competition for two years. Only a handful of athletes have tested positive for HGH since that time.

If its union signs on, the NFL will become the first American pro league to test its players for HGH. In the spring of 2010, Major League Baseball began screening samples of minor leaguers' blood for human growth hormone, which is banned by the NCAA, the International Olympic Committee and pro sports leagues. Former Met Mike Jacobs of the Colorado Rockies' Triple-A team became the first professional baseball player to test positive for the drug earlier this month.

Baseball cannot test major leaguers without the approval of the Players Association, which has historically been deeply opposed to blood screening. MLB negotiators, who have been quietly meeting with union officials to hammer out a new contract to replace the CBA that expires later this year, are pushing for HGH testing.

NFL officials want to use WADA to run its HGH program, but the Players Association has expressed reservations. Union officials, reluctant to turn over drug-test results and other medical data to an organization they have not worked with in the past, requested the meeting with WADA to learn more about its HGH program.

The union's reluctance to sign off on HGH testing could scuttle the NFL's plans to implement screening for the performance-enhancing drug by the time the season kicks off on Sept. 8. If both sides do not agree to the HGH program, the NFL's 2010 drug policy would remain in effect. (source New York Daily News)

Smart shoppers know that the remainder bin always contains bargains, assuming one is not too picky about quality. That is also true on the N.F.L. free-agent market.

The Indianapolis Colts, nervous about Peyton Manning’s health for their season opener Sept. 11, and about the readiness of his backups Curtis Painter and Dan Orlovsky, coaxed Kerry Collins out of retirement Wednesday. Collins, who is now so gray and grizzled that he resembles Richard Crenna in the Rambo movies, may think that backing up Manning is just like retirement, but these are unusual circumstances.

Manning, who has started 208 consecutive regular-season games, had off-season neck surgery. He said he was optimistic about being ready for Week 1, but he has always taken the Soviet premier approach to inquiries about his health. (Nyet! It is just a head cold!) Collins must be ready to play the opener at Houston, because Manning may not be, and neither Painter nor Orlovsky (who combined for four interceptions in two preseason games) ever will be.

Collins and Bill Polian, the Colts’ vice chairman, share a history. Polian drafted Collins in 1995, when Collins was fresh out of Penn State and Polian was the Panthers’ general manager and the president of the Steely Dan fan club. Polian has become one of the most successful, polarizing and all-around grooviest executives in the N.F.L., while Collins spent the last half decade following Vince Young across Tennessee with a dustpan and a broom.

Manning and Collins have combined for 95,269 passing yards, which is a little more than 54 miles. Collins, 38, cost the Colts $4 million, which is a lot of money to spend on a quarterback whose odometer has turned over more than once.

Left tackle Bryant McKinnie’s career with the Minnesota Vikings ended when he arrived at training camp in July weighing 386 pounds. One month and presumably a few trips to the steam room later, McKinnie signed a two-year deal with Baltimore. The Ravens are listing McKinnie at 345 pounds, which means McKinnie lost the equivalent of a midsize Labrador retriever in a few weeks, or the Ravens are conducting weigh-ins on an elevator that is heading down. McKinnie is penciled in as the starter at left tackle and will also serve as one of the Jersey barriers for the Baltimore Grand Prix.

The Miami Dolphins, needing some depth behind Reggie Bush and the rookie Daniel Thomas, signed Larry Johnson, who carried 5 times for 2 yards for Washington last season. Johnson is 31, has not had a 1,000-yard season since 2006 and has not scored a touchdown since 2008. In other words, he has been saving himself for just this opportunity.

“I still feel fresher than some of the guys in the N.F.L.,” Johnson told sun-sentinel.com. When purchasing perishables at discount stores, it is best to double-check the expiration date.

Johnson also said that he provided “old-school toughness” to the Dolphins, and they surely needed it. Bush is well-known for his petite cabriole approach to rushing, and Thomas has also come under criticism from Coach Tony Sparano. “He was telling me I need to get in there and stop tippy-toeing,” Thomas told The Miami Herald.

Johnson may be old, slow and worn down, but he is never sur les pointes.

When you think of football teams that are likely to shop at thrift stores, the Buffalo Bills leap instantly to mind. All their years of bargain hunting have made them the “American Pickers” of the waiver wire. While other teams came away with the worn-out likes of Johnson and Collins, the Bills found linebacker Kirk Morrison, who is relatively young (29) and extremely reliable (never missed a game in seven seasons). Morrison was the kind of player who was flying off the free-agent shelves at the beginning of August, yet he was somehow overlooked. Maybe he was standing behind McKinnie.

You can save a lot of money by purchasing reconditioned auto parts. Denver Broncos running back Willis McGahee may have to visit the junkyard after quarterback Kyle Orton cracked the windshield of McGahee’s Porsche with an errant pass. McGahee inspected the damage and said he needed a new car anyway; the Porsche’s agent said that his client would not go anywhere with an injury settlement. The Broncos may want to relocate their player parking until they find more accurate quarterbacks.

After increasing McGahee’s insurance deductible, Orton rushed from practice to join his wife, who soon gave birth to their first child. McGahee could probably have driven Orton to the hospital faster in his Porsche if not for the windshield incident.

One of the joys of thrift-store shopping is diving into the $3.99 CD bin, searching for lost classics from the 1980s. The New England Patriots did that one better by inviting Jon Bon Jovi to training camp. Bill Belichick and Bon Jovi are old friends, unlikely as that seems. If Chad Ochocinco, Albert Haynesworth and Rex Ryan combine to give Belichick a headache, Bon Jovi can always sing a few bars of “Have a Nice Day” to make everything better.

Seattle Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll allows his players to select songs at practice, then Tweets their choices. Marshawn Lynch’s Wednesday jam was “U Can’t Touch This.” If the image of Belichick and Bon Jovi jamming does not blow your mind, the thought of Carroll and Lynch doing M. C. Hammer’s Running Man dance surely will.

The former Kansas City quarterback Brodie Croyle is the kind of quarterback you expect to find at a late-camp rummage sale: he has an 0-10 career record as a starter and somehow managed to throw an interception and be sacked four times in 19 pass attempts for the Chiefs last season.

Croyle resurfaced last week with the Arizona Cardinals, who needed an extra arm badly after the backup Max Hall separated his shoulder and John Skelton sprained his ankle. Kevin Kolb, the starter, is healthy, but he must be careful after running afoul of the local fauna in Flagstaff. On Wednesday, he nearly ran over a skunk with his Segway while riding back from practice. Had the skunk felt threatened, Kolb would have become one of the N.F.L. players who is not as fresh as Larry Johnson.

Skunks beware: Kolb and Croyle are skilled hunters and outdoorsman. Still, the Cardinals may have cautioned their quarterbacks not to chase roadrunners around the desert on their Segways. The risk of crashing into a coyote on a rocket sled is high. (source New York Times)

From the Shores of Nantucket to the Halls of Patriot Place, NFL Films-Produced Two-Part Documentary takes a Look at the Life of NFL’s Winningest Active Head Coach

‘Bill Belichick: A Football Life’ Premieres Thursday, September 15 at 9:00 PM ET

While the Patriots’ Lombardi Trophies speak for themselves, NFL fans can now get an intimate on- and off-the-field look at New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick, who in 2009 was the first person ever wired for an entire season by NFL Films.

On Thursday, September 15 at 9:00 PM ET, part I of Bill Belichick: A Football Life debuts exclusively on NFL Network with part II airing in the series’ regular time slot of Thursday, September 22 at 10:00 PM ET. Belichick is the first subject of a new series by the Emmy Award-winning producers at NFL Films, offering untold stories into the lives of some the NFL’s most recognizable icons. Each documentary provides unprecedented access to each featured individual to tell the story of how their legacy is forever intertwined in the fabric of NFL history.

“Bill Belichick doesn’t only make history – he studies it; he understands his place in it; and he appreciates our desire to capture it,” said NFL Films President Steve Sabol. “Like Vince Lombardi’s Packers in 1967, Belichick and the Patriots gave us access to his football life and what we created is a portrait of the coach, the father, the taskmaster – and most importantly – the man.”

In the 2009 season, which marked Belichick’s 35th consecutive year in the NFL and the Patriots’ 50th Anniversary season, NFL Films documented sides of the three-time Super Bowl-winning head coach few have ever seen. While his unmatched record as a head coach makes him no stranger to the NFL record books, Belichick made history in the production of A Football Life by becoming the only coach to ever be wired for sound for an entire NFL season.

“This documentary would not have been possible without the support of Robert and Jonathan Kraft and the entire Patriots organization,” said Howard Katz, Senior Vice President NFL Media and COO of NFL Films. “Mr. Kraft is always searching for new ways to bring the fans closer to the game and this project was a perfect collaboration between the Patriots and NFL Films.”

Please click on the following link to view the trailer for Bill Belichick: A Football Life:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-videos/09000d5d821d0244/A-Football-Life-Bill-Belichick.

"It is beyond measure what NFL Films has done to promote football, preserve its history and entertain generations of us who love the game,” said Belichick. “When the legendary coach of the NFL Films team, Steve Sabol, approached us about capturing our 50th anniversary season in 2009, it was an honor to participate."

Actor Josh Charles (CBS’ The Good Wife) lends his voice to the two-part documentary that begins with Belichick spending his last day of the offseason in Nantucket before reporting to training camp the following day. The 2009 Patriots, who welcomed the return of QB Tom Brady, faced a number of personnel changes from the front office to the field. Bill Belichick: A Football Life chronicles Belichick through the season in a variety of roles and situations including his last trip to Giants Stadium, game planning with quarterback Tom Brady, lighter moments with members of his team and family, and a look inside Belichick’s childhood during a visit with mother, Jeannette.

Airing exclusively this fall starting September 15, NFL Network debuts A Football Life – a new biography series offering a look inside the untold stories of NFL icons. Each installment focuses on the life and career of provocative subjects intertwined in the fabric of NFL history. Forthcoming episodes include: Late Philadelphia Eagles teammates and legends Reggie White and Jerome Brown; the incomparable Walter Payton and the storybook saga of Kurt Warner.

As the country gets Back to Football, the NFL will host community events throughout Green Bay in the week leading up to this year’s Kickoff game between the Green Bay Packers and the New Orleans Saints on Thursday, September 8 at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

More than 500 pre-selected Green Bay area 4th-6th grade students will take part in the NFL PLAY 60 Youth Football Festivals from Tuesday, September 6-Thursday, September 8 at the Resch Center in Green Bay. Participating schools include Little Chute Middle School, Holy Family School, Westwood School, Zion School, Horace Mann School and Huntley Elementary School, all from the Green Bay area. Participants will receive Under Armour apparel and take part in Under Armour and NFL FLAG powered by USA Football drills. They will be lead by former Packers ANTONIO FREEMAN and AHMAN GREEN, who will also speak to the children about the importance of getting 60 minutes of exercise a day as part of the NFL PLAY 60 campaign.

All schools taking part have been active in NFL PLAY 60 programming in the past. Local NFL Punt, Pass and Kick winners will also be recognized at the clinics as the league kicks off the 50th Anniversary celebration of NFL PP&K. NFL PLAY 60 partners HOPSports and the National Dairy Council also will be on-site as part of their ongoing commitment to motivate youth and families to get out and be active. Participating students also will receive a Switch2Health Replay band that will track their activity over the next four months. Those with the highest number of minutes will receive NFL PLAY 60 prizes. Students will have the chance to interact with NFL RUSH Zone, the NFL's online game world and animated series for kids, and the NFL Officiating department.

On Thursday, September 8, NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL will join former players LARRY BROWN, JOHN RANDLE, ANDRE REED and AENEAS WILLIAMS at a community service project, in partnership with United Way, taking place at Lincoln Elementary School in Green Bay. They will work alongside volunteers from NFL sponsors including Anheuser Busch, Barclays, Bridgestone, Castrol, FedEx, Frito Lay, Gatorade, General Motors, Mars, Motorola, National Dairy Council, News America, Papa John’s, Pepsi, Procter & Gamble, Verizon and Visa as they build a playground, greenhouse and garden for the school. The playground will provide a safe place for students to get healthy and active, and the greenhouse and garden will enable the school to grow fruits and vegetables, all as part of NFL PLAY 60. The playground will be one of more than 100 new play spaces built by the NFL and its clubs over the past three years.

As part of the NFL’s Back to Football campaign, many schools in the Green Bay area will join schools nationwide in demonstrating their team pride on Friday, September 9. The Back to Football campaign will celebrate and recognize 34 PLAY 60 Super Schools across the country for their team pride and commitment to NFL PLAY 60 later this season.

As part of the Back to Football campaign, USA Football, the official youth football development partner of the Packers and the NFL, will conduct America’s National Youth Football Kickoff, the country’s largest youth football kickoff celebration. The nationwide event will be held on Saturday, September 10, and will encompass youth football fields in Appleton, Berlin, Green Bay and Seymour among more than 2,000 other youth football fields involving 600,000 youth players. Youth teams will kick off their September 10 games with a red, white and blue commemorative football provided by USA Football, celebrating their return to football.

The NFL previously announced details for fans and media looking to attend the Kickoff concert that will take place outside of Lambeau Field prior to the Packers-Saints game. The event opens to the public at 3:15 PM (CT). Fans may enter the concert site from Holmgren Way and may watch the performances along Armed Forces Drive. Fans do not need tickets to attend the free concert and may show up on event day to celebrate the start of the season prior to attending the Green Bay Packers game or watching it on television that evening.

On Saturday night you will be able to watch Doctor Who, who can travel into the future. You will not be able to watch Josh Freeman, who is expected to lead his team there.

Turn the channel and you can watch My Babysitter's a Vampire on the Disney Channel. You cannot watch the more urgent My Middle Linebacker is a Rookie.

Switch again and you can watch How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days on Oxygen. However, you cannot watch Which Guys to Cut in Four Days.

And so it goes. Another Bucs game, another blackout, another group of fans being ticked off that other fans didn't buy enough tickets so everyone can watch the game on TV for free.

Well, here's a question:

How much do you hate the NFL blackout rule?

No, this is not a call for metaphors. I am not asking if you hate the blackout rule like you hate leftover cauliflower, or secondhand smoke, or bad drivers on the way home. I don't want to know the color of your rage or the degree of your disdain. I want to know the price.

Do you hate the blackout rule $30 worth?

Fifty dollars worth?

A hundred dollars worth?

In other words, what would you pay to make the blackout rule go away? What would you pay to get it waived so you could watch this game, or any game? Now that viewing a game from home has never been better, how much would it be worth to you to watch blacked-out games in the comfort of your living room, in front of your HD TV, in the middle of your surround sound? What would you pay so you didn't have to fight the traffic, pay for the parking and get your concessions from anyplace other than your refrigerator?

Are you ready for the NFL to get into the weekly pay-per-view business?

With every blackout, with every outcry from fans who can't see the game for free, the notion of pay-per-view grows less offensive. The Bucs have had a lot of football blacked out lately, and every time they do, fans howl.

And why not? For a long time, Bucs games were as free as the butterflies. You turned on the TV and there were Derrick Brooks and Warren Sapp and the rest. If you were a 26-year-old Bucs fan at the end of the 2009 season, the team had been on network television for half of your life (261 straight games were broadcast). Fans expected games. They felt they were entitled to them.

Here in Blackout City, that hasn't been the case for a while. Last year the Bucs led the league in unshown moments locally. They were the only team to have all eight home games blacked out, and the only team with 10 wins to have any blacked out at all. If you remember 2009, when the Bucs owners bought out the tickets for several games and allowed them to be broadcast despite thousands of empty seats, you could argue the blackout rule matters more here than anywhere in the league.

This year? Bet on additional darkness.

Oh, you can shout all you want about the blackout rule. You can suggest that having last year's games blacked out didn't sell a lot of tickets for this year's. You can argue that, given the economy, perhaps 90 percent of a sellout should be enough for a league that plays in taxpayer-support stadiums. None of it will help.

Still, I understand blackouts. The NFL is a business. Why should it give its product away?

For instance, when Bruce Springsteen comes to town for a concert, it doesn't matter how quickly it sells out; that concert is not going to be on TV. And no one expects it to be. With the new Harry Potter movie out, it doesn't matter how packed the theater might be. It isn't going to be broadcast into homes until months later. And if McDonald's sells out on Thursday, it doesn't mean the burgers are free on Sunday.

So here is the first question: In an age of technology, when boxing and wrestling and college football games are broadcast on pay-per-view all the time, when consumers pay for movies on demand, would you pay to see a game that is otherwise blacked out?

And here's the second question: How much?

This is the key, isn't it? After protesting loudly, most people would consider paying a few bucks. But owners aren't going to alter the rule for a few bucks. That would just make the small crowds smaller, and the last thing NFL owners want is to give ticket-buyers a reason to stay home.

For the sake of discussion, what should the price of a pay-per-view game be? Let's see. StubHub has tickets for five of the Bucs' seven regular-season home games for less than $30. Should the charge be, say, $27?

Should it be the $35 or so some college fans pay for a one-time viewing? (Many packages are more affordable.) Just guessing, but given ticket prices, I'm betting the NFL owners would want more than most people would want to pay.

Should it be as much as $100, figuring people are going to gather in groups of four or more to watch?

Or should the NFL target sports bars instead of homes and charge several hundred dollars? Could the league get that much?

Or does the league merely shrug and tell fans to buy a darned ticket? Again, 26 of the 32 teams last year didn't have any blackouts, and 30 broadcast at least half of their home games. This isn't a problem in, say, Chicago or Green Bay or Denver.

Still, there are empty seats and interested fans. It seems there is a secondary market of people who want to see the game at an affordable price. Shouldn't the NFL be interested in making a little bit of money from them, too?

Here's an idea. Start slow. The NFL could try one pay-per-view game a year in the markets that had the most games blacked out. Make it a day it is particular advantageous to be in the stands (a big giveaway, a concert, etc.). Then use the broadcast to advertise your product on TV.

Why not?

After all, you can always make sure the DVR records Doctor Who. This article was written by Gary Shelton and appeared in The St.Petersburg Times.