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Volume 8, Issue 81 (Saturday, July 14th)LIMITED TIME OFFERS THIS WEEK ONLY: 5% off of FantasyHeadquarters.com fantasy football league entry fees! Click Here!Hi Folks, Good Sunday to you. Hope you're having a great weekend. It's been a quiet weekend for news but here's the best of what's happening out there. Have a great day. JSITE NEWS INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1. MIA - Dolphins WR Chambers Charged With DUI2. New Orleans Makes Push To Host NFL Draft 3. ATL - Prosecutors Detail Dogfights At Vick's Property 4. Teams With Depth That Might Deal? 5. GB - Burglars Steal C Winter's Super Bowl XXXI Ring 6. MIN - Worry About WR Corps? 7. DEF - Free Agent DL Evans Enters Not Guilt Plea 8. DEF - CIN - LB Pollack Still Undecided On Return To Football 9. DEF - STL - CB Brown Suspended For Four Games 10. DEF - NE - Samuel May Return At Camp? MIA - Dolphins WR Chambers Charged With DUI Source: Jeff Darlington, Miami Herald Miami Dolphins WR Chris Chambers was arrested early Saturday morning on charges of driving while impaired, reckless driving and speeding, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department's crime log. Chambers, who hasn't had any legal troubles during six seasons in the NFL, was arrested at 2:31 a.m. He was later released on a $1,750 bond. Details of the arrest were not immediately available. Neither Chambers nor his agent, Ben Dogra, could be reached. [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] Ugh. Bad news for Chambers here although he does have the fact that he's not been in trouble in the past going for him. We'll see how this works out but obviously it's something we want to watch closely as Chambers is the WR Miami is expected to lean on the most. New Orleans Makes Push To Host NFL Draft Source: ESPN.com New Orleans is hoping it gets picked for the NFL draft. The Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation has sent a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell seeking to host the annual draft and turn it into a week-long celebration -- complete with events including a Mardi Gras-style parade and civic events involving retired NFL players. The draft either would be held at the convention center or the New Orleans Arena, said Jay Cicero, the foundation president leading the effort. The NFL has not responded to the plan, he said. New York has hosted the draft since 1965. It's set to be held at Radio Music City Hall next year, and NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league is committed to that event. After that, he said, "we will review our options, including the possibility of taking the draft to other locations."[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] No disrespect to New York as it's a fantastic place to have the draft, but I love this idea. It'd be a great way for the league to give something back to New Orleans. I like it tons better than the talk about having the draft in Florida as some have suggested. I'll be pulling for this. ATL - Prosecutors Detail Dogfights At Vick's Property Source: Alan Judd, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution The dogfights on Michael Vick's property followed very strict rules, authorities say. Weighing in just half a pound too much or too little disqualified dogs from matches. Sometimes they were starved to make them more vicious in the pit. For owners and carefully screened spectators, these fights sometimes offered purses worth thousands of dollars. For the dogs, losing could lead to a gruesome execution. This is how federal prosecutors describe a large dogfighting operation that they say operated out of Vick's 15-acre property in Surry County, Va. They have filed no charges. And Vick, the Atlanta Falcons' quarterback and one of the highest-paid players in the National Football League, has denied any involvement in dogfighting. His lawyer did not respond Friday to a request for an interview.[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] The investigation is progressing. It's important to note that there is a big difference between dog fighting occurring and Vick being directly tied to the dogfighting. Stay tuned. Teams With Depth That Might Deal? Source: Pat Kirwan, NFL.com NFL.com's Pat Kirwan considers some teams with depth that might be interested in dealing players: 1. MINNESOTA VIKINGS -- The depth at running back is intriguing. The addition of first-round selection Adrian Peterson to go along with Chester Taylor gives them a great one-two punch, but how much can Mewelde Moore or Ciatrick Fason or even Artose Pinner figure into their plans? Barring injury, one or even two of these backs could be available. That means any team looking for a back will be at Minnesota's preseason games. 2. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES -- If Donovan McNabb is ready to go -- and all signs point toward that being the case -- then the Eagles could have one too many signal callers when August rolls around. There's no doubt teams will inquire about Kelly Holcomb after they finish up breaking down all the film they have from his Buffalo days and this preseason. 3. TAMPA BAY -- A bit of a long shot here, but if Jake Plummer, who is on the Bucs' salary-cap books, ever decides to show up, then QB is a stocked position with Jeff Garcia, Chris Simms, Bruce Gradkowski and Luke McCown. 4. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS -- The Pats went from a team entering 2006 looking for wide receivers to being stockpiled in 2007. There's no chance they can keep all of them on the roster after the offseason acquisitions of Wes Welker and Randy Moss. I would think GM Scott Pioli has already had a few inquiries about which receivers could come free near the end of camp. There are a few teams around the NFL that will look at guys like Reche Caldwell and know they are an upgrade over their own No. 4 or No. 5 receivers. 5. OAKLAND RAIDERS -- With the addition of Donovan Darius to the safety group, there is a chance a young safety will come free at the end of camp. Darnell Bing and Jarod Cooper sit behind three veterans and draft pick Eric Frampton, so it is important to watch their play during the summer.[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] Pat Kirwan is a guy you'd do well to listen to. Depth is a luxury these days in the salary cap era but some teams have been able to acquire a bit of it. Some will try to use that to their advantage. GB - Burglars Steal C Winter's Super Bowl XXXI Ring Source: SI.com Burglars who struck the home of former Green Bay Packer Frank Winters got away with his Super Bowl XXXI ring and a 1997 NFC Championship ring, along with several other items, police said. Winters, who also played briefly for the Kansas City Chiefs, told police that he found his garage door open when he returned home on July 5. He said the burglary happened sometime between June 30 and July 5. The thieves also took Winters' Jeep, a flat screen television, a fur coat and silverware. His total loss was estimated at $50,000.[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] Stealing the guy's Super Bowl ring? That's low. Take the flat screen. But leave the ring. Source: Viking Update Staff The early preseason predictions from the national football experts has been a mixed bag. Some believe that, with the improvements the Vikings defense has made over the last year and the addition of Adrian Peterson to help the offense, the Vikings might be a potential playoff contender. Others cite inexperienced Tarvaris Jackson and a pass offense that got riddled in the second half of the 2006 season as a sign that the Vikings could be closer to a lottery pick in the draft rather than a potential playoff berth. The only concern that everyone seems to share is that the Vikings have what, on paper, looks to be the weakest corps of receivers in the league. The group was viewed as suspect a year ago and three of their top five pass catchers (Travis Taylor, Jermaine Wiggins and Marcus Robinson) are gone. Of the returnees, the leading receiver was Mewelde Moore, who is expected to see his role with the team decrease with the arrival of Adrian Peterson.[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] Count us as among the group worried about the receiving corps. I like Tarvaris Jackson but he's got a lot to prove still at this level. He'll learn but as is the case with any QB, there will be growing pains. And a suspect receiving group won't help things any. To see how we project the entire team, click here.DEF - Free Agent DL Evans Enters Not Guilt Plea Source: Craig Barnes, South Florida Sun-Sentinel Former Miami Dolphins defensive lineman Fred Evans was arraigned in Miami-Dade County court on Friday, and his attorney, Adam Swickle, said a not guilty plea was entered in writing. The Dolphins released Evans on June 28. [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] The Miami writers are getting a workout with the trouble stories today. DEF - CIN - LB Pollack Still Undecided On Return To Football Source: Mark Curnutte, Cincinnati Enquirer The Cincinnati LB David Pollack will not play in 2007 as reported on Thursday. In fact, Pollack has not made a final decision about whether he will play again at all. "I'm grateful for my recovery to this point, and I'm working every day to get my full strength back," Pollack said in a statement. "Any final decision on football is still down the road for me." [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] Best wishes to Pollack for a full recovery and then in whatever ventures he sets out for after that. DEF - STL - CB Brown Suspended For Four Games Source: Associated Press, ESPN St. Louis Rams CB Fakhir Brown has been suspended by the NFL for the first four games next season for violating the league's substance abuse policy. Brown's suspension will begin Aug. 31 and he can return to the active roster on Oct. 1, following the Rams' game Sept. 30 against the Dallas Cowboys. He is allowed to participate in preseason games and practice. Third-year pro Ron Bartell appears to be the most likely candidate to step into Brown's first-team position. [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] Brown started 14 games last season and tied for the team high in interceptions. So this is a loss for the Rams. Keep an eye on Bartell to see if he can take Brown's place in the starting lineup. DEF - NE - Samuel May Return At Camp? Source: John Tomase, Boston Herald Asante Samuel is not yet technically a holdout, since he remains a free agent. But Samuel's options decrease on Monday when the deadline arrives either to agree to a long-term deal or be limited to signing the Patriots' one-year franchise tender of $7.79 million. The sides have remained far apart in negotiations in recent days, increasing the likelihood that Samuel will be a no-show once training camp opens on July 27. However, there is a glimmer of hope. A source close to Samuel yesterday said he wouldn't be surprised if the corner held out into the season, but thought a more likely scenario would be for Samuel to end his holdout early in training camp so he has enough time to get into game shape and decrease the risk of injury that would come with just jumping into the action halfway through the season.[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] This is good news as everything I've been hearing up to this has been pretty pessimistic on Samuel. Stay tuned. That'll do it for today, Folks. Have a great day and we'll see you tomorrow with the update. J |
