11/30/04
- [Seattle Seahawks] DL Grant Wistrom believes his team need to starting having more fun during practice and on gameday in order to reverse their recent inconsistent play.
"I think the main thing we need to do, and coach Rhodes touched on it, is we have to start having fun," said Wistrom. "Guys are coming to work, I think, and just getting through it. You have to come here and enjoy being here and enjoy your teammates. When you go out on Sunday you have to go out there and have an attitude that you're going to make plays and celebrate together and enjoy a victory together."
The Seahawks are just 3-5 since a 3-0 start to the season. (KFFL)
WEEK 12: Stats, Pictures and Stories
11/28/04
- [Houston Texans] All three Huskers on the Texans active roster are injured: LB Jay Foreman is expected to practice on a limited basis during the upcoming week due to a neck injury; K Kris Brown has been bothered by a sore hip; and G Zach Wiegert, who has a turf toe injury, will practice on a limited basis this week but is expected to play during Week 13. (Houston Chronicle, KFFL)
- Sherman will make Green decision on Monday
11/27/04
- [Seattle Seahawks] DE Grant Wistrom, making his first start Sunday since suffering a knee injury Oct. 17, appeared to be full strength against the Dolphins. He was instantly the team's best player on defense, and without his contributions Seattle very well might have lost the game. His effect on the rest of the line was significant. The question now is whether the impact will diminish as the Seahawks play better opponents. (TheNFLexperts.com)
- [Atlanta Falcons] WLB Demorrio Williams, the Falcons' fourth-round draft pick out of Nebraska, has surpassed the expectation of team officials. He and starting WLB Keith Brooking are the joint nickel and dime LBs, and Williams -- who has fabulous speed -- continues to make more and more important plays. (TheNFLexperts.com)
- [Buffalo Bills] DE Chris Kelsay's three sacks are more than every defensive end taken ahead of him in the 2003 draft except Arizona's Calvin Pace, who has four. (TheNFLexperts.com)
- [Seattle Seahawks] K Josh Brown is third in the league in scoring among kickers (78 points) and second in field goal percentage (.947, 18 of 19). Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
- [Cincinnati Bengals] Rookie punter Kyle Larson is eighth in the AFC in gross average (42.4 yards) and 12th in net (35.2). (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
- Out: Rams G Chris Dishman; Doubtful: Rams CB Dejuan Groce (knee); Questionable: Texans LB Jay Foreman (shoulder); Packers RB Ahman Green (ribs)
- [St. Louis Rams] CB DeJuan Groce (knee) did not practice Friday, Nov. 26, and will not be able to play during Week 12. (KFFL)
- [St. Louis Rams] OG Chris Dishman (knee) did not practice Friday, Nov. 26, and will not be able to play during Week 12. (KFFL)
- [Green Bay Packers] RB Ahman Green (ribs) missed practice Friday but has made some progress and might try to practice Saturday.
- [New York Giants] Although it appears likely that LBs Barrett Green and Nick Greisen will be able to play on Sunday; but if not, the Giants will have to start one of three rookies: Reggie Torbor, James Maxwell or T.J. Hollowell. (NJ Star-Ledger)
- Chat with Mike Minter, part 3
11/26/04
- Wistrom gives Hawks spunk
- Minter revels in rivalry
- The ABA's Utah Snowbears have signed former NBA veteran Tony Farmer, a 6-9 power forward from Nebraska. Farmer has had stints with the Charlotte Hornets, Golden State Warriors, and Denver Nuggets. Farmer has played professionally in the CBA with Sioux Falls, Columbus, Ft Wayne, and Rochester, as well as Spain, Italy, France, Argentina, Belgium, Greece, and Russia. Farmer will replace forward Nick Vanderlaan on the active roster in time for Thursday and Fridays games with Bellevue. (HoopsWorld.com)
- 11/24/04 - Green helps feed the hungry
11/23/04
- [CFL-Toronto] The Toronto Argos have former Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch on their negotiation list. (Toronto Sun)
- "Detroit fans, they threw beer on us during the playoffs," said Nets forward Eric Williams. "They threw beer on Erick Strickland (when both played for Boston), as a matter of fact, as we were coming off the court. You don't go throwing beer on people at a basketball game." (IndyStar.com)
- 11/22/04 - Green Bay Packers] Head coach Mike Sherman said RB Ahman Green (ribs), who was forced out of the team's Week 11 game two times due to a rib injury, is day-to-day. Sherman noted the injury is a concern for the team, but they are hopeful he will be able to play in Week 12. (KFFL)
WEEK 11: Stats, Pictures and Stories
- 11/20/04 - Demorrio digs in with Atlanta
- 11/19/04 - Kelsay gives it the old college try
11/18/04
- [Detroit Lions] Reader Don Frese points out that a uniform trailblazer of sorts recently died: Glenn Presnell, who was the first player signed by the Detroit Lions for the team's inaugural 1934 season. As Presnell explained in a 2002 interview: "The day I was up there and signed my contract, [the owner] said, 'There's a table out there in that next office covered with uniforms. Why don't you pick out the colors you like?' So I went out, my wife was with me, we saw this Honolulu blue and silver, and we fell in love with it."
And that's how the Lions got their color scheme. Which just goes to show that you don't have to enter a contest to be a uniform designer. (ESPN's Page 2)
- [CFL-Montral] Barron Miles of the Montreal Alouettes won the Tom Pate Award for humanitarianism at the CFL's annual awards banquet Thursday night.
The New Jersey native led his team in interceptions this season and holds the franchise record for blocked kicks. He's been with the Alouettes since 1998. Off the field, Miles is involved in school programs and in hospital charitable work. (Canadian Press)
More about Tom Pate
- Miles Wins Tom Pate Award (press release)
- Chiefs Rookie Club "Huddles" with United Way (Golliday)
- Shields: from pancakes to cheeseburgers
- Green has a change of hands (scroll)
- [Injury Report] Probable- Packers RB Ahman Green (knee); Out- Rams G Chris Dishman (knee)
- [Arizona Cardinals] DEs Kyle Vanden Bosch and Calvin Pace will rotate on the defensive line in Week 11 if DL Bert Berry is unable to play. (AZCardinals.com, KFFL)
- [Kansas City Chiefs] The Chiefs have seven players in the top five among AFC players at their respective positions; two of them are Huskers. Will Shields is second in voting for the AFC guard position, while Eric Warfield is fifth at cornerback.
- [New York Jets] Rookie DE Trevor Johnson, a seventh-round pick, was credited with four tackles on the nine plays he played against the Ravens. (Star-Ledger)
- [Buffalo Bills] Chris Kelsay will make his third straight start at left defensive end. He has won the starting position over Ryan Denney, with whom he alternated the first half of the year. (Buffalo News)
11/17/04
- [St. Louis Rams] Offensive guard Chris Dishman will be out four to six weeks with a torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee that won't require surgery.
Meanwhile, DE Grant Wistrom is expected to return after missing four games with a broken bone in his left knee.
- [Buffalo Bills] LDE Chris Kelsay has taken over the starting left defensive end position. (KFFL)
11/16/04
- Hawks become sad sacks after Wistrom's injury
- [Tampa Bay Buccaneers] Coach Jon Gruden said the Bucs likely will lean on reserve safeties John Howell and Will Allen as replacements for Jermaine Phillips and possibly Dwight Smith, but there is also a chance the Bucs will re-sign a former player.
Dexter Jackson, who earned MVP honors by intercepting two passes in Super Bowl XXXVII, was released by Arizona recently and is available. So are former Bucs reserves Scott Frost and Will Hunter. (Tampa Tribune)
- [Green Bay Packers] Running back Ahman Green sustained a left knee contusion in the first half of Sunday’s game. He returned in the second half and played well, but Sherman said Green likely will see his practice time limited this week.
"We’ll probably have to rest him a little this week." coach Sherman said. (PackersNews.com)
- 11/15/04 - Dallas Cowboys] As expected, the Cowboys have re-signed Tyrone Williams and placed him on injured reserve.
WEEK 10: Stats, Pictures and Stories
11/13/04
- [Dallas Cowboys] Slowed by a hamstring injury, the Cowboys waived veteran cornerback Tyrone Williams on Saturday. If Williams clears waivers, he will be placed on the injured reserve list because he is hurt.
The Cowboys signed Williams on Sept. 30 after losing Pete Hunter to a season-ending knee injury. Williams started three games, registering six tackles, but he suffered a hamstring strain Oct. 31 vs. Detroit and did not play last week at Cincinnati. He practiced Thursday but was unable to work out Friday. (The Dallas Morning News)
- [NBA-Chicago] The Denver Nuggets, desperate for backcourt help following the season-ending injury to starter Voshon Lenard, also could be a possible destination for Curry if the Bulls included Eric Piatkowski ($2.8 million) in a deal. (AP)
A Nuggets official described the talks as "not serious." It might be moot because Curry said Friday he doesn't want to be dealt. (Rocky Mountain News)
- Chat with Mike Minter, part 1
11/12/04
- Wistrom hopes to be ready for Rams
- A Traveling Man Finds His Game (Mikki Moore)
- [Seattle Seahawks] Grant Wistrom was listed as "Doubtful" for the Seahawks game against the Rams, his former club. But that may not enough to completely keep him off the field Sunday.
"I’m going to have to feel good, and right now I feel pretty darn good," Grant Wistrom said. "Hopefully it will just keep getting better and better every day. When it happened, this was the game that I wanted to get back for. They said 4-6 weeks, but this is the one that I wanted to get back for and hopefully things go right and I will be able to play in it."
- Last Monday Night Wistrom was "Sacked" on Monday Night Football by teammate QB Trent Dilfer. The video is available online at Seahawks.com
- Doubtful: Seahawks DE Grant Wistrom (knee); Questionable: Carolina S Mike Minter (knee), Dallas CB Tyrone Williams (hamstring); Probable: Chiefs G Will Shields (hip flexor).
11/11/04
- [Green Bay Packers] PackerReport.com's Mid-season grades-- Ahman Green is on pace to gain over 1,400 yards and is averaging 4.5 yards per carry but he has been less consistent this year than he was a year ago. Nagging injuries have hampered him at times and it would have been very difficult for Green to match last year’s exceptional totals. Fumbling hurt Green early in the season. His fumble against the Bears turned the game around in Chicago’s favor. Still, there aren’t too many backs I would take over Green who gives all-out effort, blocks well and is a threat to break one at any time. Grade: B+
- [Cincinnati Bengals] P Kyle Larson was included on ESPN's All-Rookie Midseason Team. Larson was signed as an undrafted free agent after three punters were drafted ahead of him.
- [Atlanta Falcons] Rookie linebacker Demorrio Williams was back on Wednesday after a sprained knee caused him to miss the workout Monday. (FalconsInsider.com)
- Sacramento River Cats first baseman Dan Johnson was recognized with the George M. Trautman Award, given annually by the Topps Company of New York and Minor League Baseball to the Player of the Year in the Pacific Coast League. Additionally, Johnson and was named to the 12-man Topps/Minor League Baseball Triple-A All-Star Team.
- Brohawn's saga: Conclusion
- Wistrom wants to play (incl "Sacked" video)
- Johnson & Rose Recognized By Topps/Minor League Baseball
11/09/04
- [Seattle Seahawks] Coach Mike Holmgren said defensive end Grant Wistrom (knee) was going to try to play this weekend, a development that would be way ahead of schedule. Wistrom is listed as doubtful. He acknowledged that a big part of Wistrom’s quick comeback attempt would be the opportunity to play in St. Louis against his former teammates.
"He really wants to play, of course," Holmgren said. "If he were to play Sunday, he’d be coming back just a little, not a lot, but just a little early from what the doctors said when he had the injury originally.
"He has a lot of friends and loved ones there. When you go back and have a chance to play against your old team, you want to do well. You want to play and that’s understandable, but I have to do the smart thing when it comes to him." (StLouisRams.com)
- [Seattle Seahawks] Head coach Mike Holmgren said DE Grant Wistrom (knee) is listed as doubtful to play in Week 10. (KFFL)
- 11/09/04 - Carolina Panthers] Safety Mike Minter, who suffered a bone bruise on his knee Sunday, said he'll be ready Sunday.
WEEK 9: Stats, Pictures and Stories
11/07/04
- Rucker strangely quiet on the field this year
- Concord, Kannapolis preparing for parades (Minter, Rucker)
- [Atlanta Falcons] The more coaches see of rookie LB Demorrio Williams, the more they like him. Listed behind three-time Pro Bowl WLB Keith Brooking, Williams has the kind of speed coordinator Ed Donatell appreciates. (Athens Banner-Herald)
- [NBA- Bucks] Bucks players and coaches voted Redd, Desmond Mason and Erick Strickland the team's tri-captains. (Wisconsin State Journal)
- From the KC Star's "Nouns of the Week", Person: Martin Rucker. The father of Carolina defensive end Mike Rucker and University of Missouri tight end Martin Rucker was elected to the Missouri General Assembly this week as state representative from the 29th District that includes St. Joseph. (Kansas City Star)
- [Carolina Panthers] When a team is 1-7 like the Panthers, its never too early to start looking to the next offseason. Safety Mike Minter (a $5.94 million cap figure) will be a free agent but the Panthers want to keep him. It's likely an effort will be made to extend his contract to knock down his cap figure. Minter and his agent have approached the Panthers about an extension that would seemingly keep him with the Panthers for the rest of his career. There haven't been any serious discussions, but those will come soon after the season. (Charlotte Observer)
- 11/06/04 - Gardner uses life to inspire athletes
11/05/04
- [San Diego Chargers] Left guard Toniu Fonoti, after missing last year, has turned into a run-blocking monster. (NCTimes.com)
- [CFL-Montreal] Left guard Toniu Fonoti started 14 games for the Chargers as a rookie in 2002. But he spent all of last season on injured reserve because of foot problems. This year, he has shown the power and potential that made him a second-round pick.
Fonoti has been so impressive at times that linebacker Donnie Edwards led a reporter into a meeting room and clicked on a play from the Raiders game. On the screen, Fonoti just flattened linebacker Napoleon Harris in space.
"He knocked him completely out," Edwards said. "Just trucked him right over. It was awesome." (San Diego Union-Tribune)
- [CFL-Montreal] Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said Friday he didn't think injured cornerback Tyrone Williams (left hamstring) would play Sunday against the Bengals. (Dallas Morning News)
- [Detroit Lions] Center Dominic Raiola didn't play hockey growing up. He's from Hawaii.
But he was playing hockey in the locker room before practice Thursday, thanks to the Lions' equipment guys and one of his neighbors, former Red Wings goaltender Chris Osgood.
The equipment guys are big hockey players; they had some of their gear sitting around Wednesday, and Raiola ended up using a regular stick to play goal. Tennis balls and tape balls were used as pucks.
That night, Raiola saw Osgood.
"We hang out all the time," he said. "We were playing PlayStation, and I told him what we were doing, and he said, 'I've got some equipment you can take in.'"
Osgood gave Raiola a mask, a glove and a goalie stick, and Raiola took some shots Thursday from the likes of quarterback Joey Harrington, offensive lineman Matt Joyce, tight end Casey FitzSimmons and cornerback Dre' Bly.
"We're just trying to loosen everything up around here," he said.
Who had the best shot?
"Probably the equipment guys," Raiola said. "Those guys can shoot." (Detroit Free Press)
- Thought you were done with voting this year? Not a chance. The Pro Bowl ballots are out and there are a few good candidates from the NFL Husker campaign. Vote at NFL.com.
11/04/04
- [CFL-Montreal] Alouettes’ free safety Barron Miles plays his role close to perfection on the field as well as in the community. He was rewarded for his community work by the CFL Players Association and was nominated as the Alouettes’ representative for the Tom Pate Award, an award given to the player who displays qualities that distinguish him from his peers.
The recipient of the award should embody the qualities that distinguished Tom Pate. Aside from displaying outstanding sportsmanship, the player must have made a contribution to his team, his community and his association.
Much like Tom Pate himself, Miles was educated at Nebraska and played football with the Cornhuskers. More: MontrealAlouettes.com | Tom Pate
- [Dallas Cowboys] When practice began Wednesday, cornerback Tyrone Williams was riding the stationary bicycle because of a strained left hamstring. He is listed as questionable for Sunday's game. (Dallas Morning News)
- [NBA-Clippers] One of the new Clippers in the rotation, Mikki Moore, is entering his seventh season. But apparently, he is not too well-known to fans in Los Angeles so much so that his first name has been frequently mispronounced.
Although it looks like "Mickey,' his first name is pronounced "My- Key.' To complicate matters further, his real first name is Clinton, but he was nicknamed after the Life cereal commercial character, Mikey.
"I don't hate it, but you always want somebody to know you by what you want to be called,' Moore said. "I've had nicknames from Snake to Big Slim, but Mikey has been my nickname since I was little. I don't blame anybody for calling me Mickey because it's spelled like that. But after a while, I think they should learn it." (Pasedena Star News)
- [Kansas City Chiefs] A Johnson County judge on Tuesday eased a pretrial restriction on cornerback Eric Warfield that prevented him from attending several charity events.
Warfield, who is charged in Johnson County District Court with felony driving under the influence of alcohol, is scheduled to appear again in court Dec. 7.
As part of bond conditions, he was forbidden to consume alcohol or go to any establishment where alcohol is served.
But defense attorney Kevin Regan said Warfield had been unable to attend several charity events because of the ban. District Judge Steve Tatum modified the condition to allow Warfield to go to restaurants where alcohol is served, but he still cannot drink. (KC Star)
- [Carolina Panthers] S Mike Minter became the Panthers all-time leader in fumble recoveries with eight. (Panthers.com)
- [MLB-Angels] Angels first baseman Darin Erstad has been selected to the 2004 Rawlings Gold Glove Award team, in an announcement made Tuesday by the Rawlings Sporting Goods Company. This marks the third honor for Erstad and first as a first baseman. He also won Gold Glove Awards as an outfielder in 2000 and 2002. Erstad becomes the first player in Major League history to be honored as both an infielder and outfielder.
- Miles gets CFL community award named for another Husker
- Dance all your cares away at Copeland's (Neil Smith)
- Schlesinger runs back into lineup
- 11/04/04 - Rucker's decline mirrors Panthers'
- Out: DE Grant Wistrom (knee); Questionable: Dallas CB Tyrone Williams (hamstring); Probable: Detroit RB Cory Schlesinger (hamstring)
11/03/04
- [Seattle Seahawks] DE Grant Wistrom (knee) remains out for Week 9, but has a chance to return the following week. (KFFL)
- [Detroit Lions] FB Cory Schlesinger (hamstring) was limited in practice Wednesday but is listed as probable for Week 9. (The Daily Oakland Press, KFFL)
- Miles gets rewarded
11/02/04
- [Cowboys 31, Lions 21] Cowboys' head coach Bill Parcells said team trainers didn’t feel a “defect” in the left hamstring that cornerback Tyrone Williams injured in the first half Sunday. Williams said he felt something pop on the play. His status for Sunday's game is uncertain. (Dallas Morning News)
- Lions' center Dominic Raiola was sure that one of the Cowboys' defensive tackles was in the neutral zone, and that was why he snapped the ball early on a fourth-and-one play that resulted in a 10-yard loss when Harrington was sacked in the fourth quarter.
"The guy right over me was off-sides," Raiola said.
Raiola said he looked up to see if the Cowboys were going to blitz on the play and, as soon as he heard Harrington, he snapped the ball.
"I felt him jump," Raiola said. "I thought he was halfway in the neutral zone. I think when I dropped my head, he reacted."
The game officials obviously did not agree and the play stood. (Detroit Free Press)
- Darin Erstad honored with third Gold Glove Award
WEEK 8: Stats, Pictures and Stories