Footballguys Daily Email - Volume 9, Issue 51 (Friday, June 13th)
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Hi Folks,
Welcome to the weekend. For all you Dads out there - here's wishing you a great Father's Day Weekend. And for you Sons out there that are still fortunate enough to have your Dad around - give the Old Man a hug. In the meantime, we've got some news and notes for you so let's get to it. JINSIDE THIS ISSUE
1. CIN - Chad Johnson: 'I'm Happy'2. NYG - TE Shockey Reportedly In Shouting Match With GM
3. BUF - Three Bills Players Subpoenaed, Owner Wilson May Be Next
4. PIT - Steelers To Try WR Holmes As Punt Returner
5. ATL - Falcons Starting With Clean Slate On OL
6. PHI - Eagles HC Reid Expects Better Conditioning For Training Camp
7. SEA - Seahawks HC Holmgren Missed Minicamp Due To Surgery
8. NYG - Giants C O'Hara Has Critical Words
9. Former Dolphins WR Vick Arrested For DUI
10. CIN - RB Dorsey Has Hamstring Injury
11. TEN - WR Jones Arrested In Airport With Gun
12. WR Chris Henry Suspended By League
13. DEF - DEN - Broncos S Lynch May Have Broken Nose
CIN - Chad Johnson: 'I'm Happy'
Source: Bengals.com
Chad Johnson was bouncing around the locker room again Friday after the morning practice, high-fiving greetings to some reporters and wondering why everyone said he was mad on Thursday.
"I'm happy," he said. "I was happy yesterday. "I don't have anything to be mad about." But he wasn't talking on the record, so when he's going to get back to practice and when/if he's going to get ankle surgery is up to speculation. But before the lightning came to blow away the afternoon practice, Johnson ran his first routes of the camp, albeit only a handful.[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
I used to think when Johnson did the psycho shtick that it was just an act. Now I'm not so sure. Maybe Rosenhaus is talking some sense into him and telling him to get out there. It's still a volatile situation but I think when the games matter, he'll be fine.
NYG - TE Shockey Reportedly In Shouting Match With GM
Source: Vinny DiTrani, North Jersey Record
Jeremy Shockey reportedly had a huge shouting match with general manager Jerry Reese this week, perhaps the prelude to the Giants finally cutting ties with their tight end.
Shockey remained secluded Friday, the final day of the team's mandatory minicamp, leaving Giants Stadium before the morning practice ended. Reports later surfaced he and Reese had an animated argument, apparently over some points the tight end listed Saturday as reasons for his unrest. One was the Giants' insistence he watch Super Bowl XLII from co-owner Steve Tisch's luxury box instead of from the sidelines. More important, however, was Shockey's claim the Giants spread the rumors of his off-season unrest in hopes of drumming up trade interest.[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
Complaining the media is one thing. A shouting episode with the general manager is an entirely different level. It'll be very interesting to see how this plays from here. Some are calling this the "last straw" for Shockey. Others think it'll blow over. We'll see soon.
BUF - Three Bills Players Subpoenaed, Owner Wilson May Be Next
Source: Gene Warner and Dan Herbeck, Buffalo News
Buffalo Bills owner Ralph C. Wilson Jr., Chief Operating Officer Russ Brandon, three other Bills officials and three players all may be required to tell an Erie County grand jury what they know about the hit-and-run accident involving a vehicle owned by running back Marshawn Lynch. Three players already have been issued subpoenas to appear before the grand jury next Friday - rookie wide receivers James Hardy and Steve Johnson and second-year offensive lineman Christian Gaddis, law enforcement sources said late Thursday.
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Would you want to be Marshawn Lynch knowing that your 89 year old boss was going to be subpoenaed? Me neither. I've been saying it for a few days now but I don't know what Lynch is waiting on here. It only seems to be getting worse the longer he waits.
PIT - Steelers To Try WR Holmes As Punt Returner
Source: Scott Brown, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
According to Pittsburgh Steelers HC Mike Tomlin, the team will submit to WR Santonio Holmes. Holmes has made it clear he would like return punts this season -- he played exclusively at wide receiver last year - and Tomlin said the Steelers will "take a peek" at him in that capacity. "We'll see if he can handle it," Tomlin said of Holmes, who returned punts in 2006.
[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
Just a note for you guys that have scoring systems where your WR might get bonus points for kick or punt returns.
ATL - Falcons Starting With Clean Slate On OL
Source: Steve Wyche, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Falcons have regularly switched personnel along the offensive lines throughout the offseason. The latest change has come at right guard, where three-year practice squad regular Harvey Dahl is getting his turn with the first-team offense. "I have no pre-conceived notions," offensive line coach Paul Boudreau said. "Right now guys are on a clean slate. Whether you were the coach's favorite before. Whether you weren't the coach's favorite. Whether you were on the practice squad I don't really care. My favorite guys are the guys who do everything right, do it on time and do it physically."
[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
One benefit (and downside) of a new coaching staff is that everyone starts back at ground zero. That can be good for some players that need a clean slate but not so good for players that had built up a good track record with the previous staff. But that's life in the NFL. The Falcons need to shore up their OL as they're starting to put together some intriguing weapons at the skill positions.
PHI - Eagles HC Reid Expects Better Conditioning For Training Camp
Source: Rich Hofmann, Philadelphia Daily News
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid took an interesting tone yesterday, the players' last day together before they reassemble for training camp next month at Lehigh University. He didn't say it as plainly as he might have, but he hinted all around the edges of the topic. His point, seemingly, is that this team needs to be in better shape than the one that went 8-8 in 2007.
[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
We'll see next month when the Eagles report for real camp whether they took Reid's advice to heart. I'd say they will. These guys are professionals and for a team that's had as much success as they've had in year's past, you know an 8-8 season didn't sit well. I'd be surprised if they don't respond well.
SEA - Seahawks HC Holmgren Missed Minicamp Due To Surgery
Source: SI.com
Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said surgery forced him to miss two days of minicamp, although he wouldn't say what was wrong. "I didn't die, all right?" a smiling Holmgren said Thursday after the team's final minicamp practice. "No, I had a little surgery done on Monday. That's all I'm really going to say about it. ... I just need a little time to recover from it and we're all set."
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Followup to the story from yesterday for you guys that need to know everything...
NYG - Giants C O'Hara Has Critical Words
Source: Lowell Sun, Associated Press
Less than four months after winning the Super Bowl, center Shaun O'Hara isn't happy because he believes a couple of New York Giants are putting themselves ahead of the team.
O'Hara criticized receiver Plaxico Burress on Thursday for refusing to practice until he gets a new contract and reminded teammates that the Giants won their third Super Bowl by sticking together as a team when things got tough last season. "Either you are with us or you are against us," O'Hara said between practices. "And I think the players are doing a good job of focusing in on their daily tasks and their jobs, and as long as we all continue to do that, this team will succeed." "I guess my feeling is it is a disservice to all the other guys out there working hard, and doing their jobs to focus on the negative," O'Hara said in a comment that seemed to criticize both his teammate and the media. "Sometimes we expect that, but there are a lot of guys out there doing good things every day. We have a lot of young guys getting a lot of good reps. That should be the focus."[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
This has been an interesting little flareup with O'Hara's comments getting lots of air time. Personally, I think it's directed much more towards the media than it is Burress and Shockey. O'Hara is critical of the media's focus on the guys holding out instead of covering the good things that are happening.
Former Dolphins WR Vick Arrested For DUI
Source: Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Associated Press
Former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Marcus Vick has been charged with driving under the influence and eluding police. Police said a uniformed bicycle patrol officer observed Vick and a female involved in an altercation in the car early Friday. When the officer asked for a driver's license, police say Vick sped away but was stopped minutes later. Vick failed a field sobriety test and was charged with DUI, misdemeanor eluding police, reckless driving and driving on a suspended license.
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If there are two more physically talented brothers anywhere doing less with their ability than the Vicks I don't know who they are...
CIN - RB Dorsey Has Hamstring Injury
Source: Bengals.com
After practice, head coach Marvin Lewis said running back De De Dorsey injured his hamstring Thursday and he doesn't know if he'll be ready for the start of training camp.
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Followup from yesterday's story. It must be a pretty serious hamstring injury if training camp is in question.
TEN - WR Jones Arrested In Airport With Gun
Source: Paul Kuharsky, The Tennessean
Titans wide receiver Brandon Jones was arrested and issued a citation at Nashville International Airport on Friday for carrying a loaded .32 caliber gun in his baggage, an airport spokesperson confirmed.
Jones was arrested at around 11:40 a.m. and charged with a misdemeanor citation of unlawful possession of a firearm. He was released and allowed to proceed on a flight to Phoenix.[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
Jones said he was in a hurry and grabbed his bag that had his gun in it to take on the airplane. I hate when then happens.
WR Chris Henry Suspended By League
Source: AP
Former Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chris Henry has been suspended indefinitely by the NFL.
The Bengals released Henry on April 3 after he was arrested for the fifth time. Henry is scheduled for trial June 24 in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court on charges of assault and criminal damaging. A man accused Henry of punching him in the face and breaking his car window with a beer bottle. Henry had received permission from the judge to try out with other NFL teams, but the suspension puts an end to that.[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]
If Henry is acquitted on this charge, the suspension could be lifted. Until then, he's out of commission. What a waste of talent.
DEF - DEN - Broncos S Lynch May Have Broken Nose
Source: Mike Klis, Denver Post
For their last minicamp session Thursday, the Denver Broncos practiced without helmets - and it wound up hurting John Lynch as the veteran safety emerged from a pileup with a bloody nose. In a clear sign the 16-year pro isn't taking his starting spot for granted, Lynch stuffed large wads of tissue up his nostrils and returned a few snaps later. He said his nose may or may not be broken and he may or may not seek a definitive prognosis.
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Whether or not John Lynch has a broken nose really won't make any difference. It's just fun to see a guy that will jump back into the fray in minicamp with tissues shoved up his bleeding nose so he can keep going.
That'll do it for today, Folks. Have a great Saturday and we'll see you tomorrow with the update.
J