11/30/05
- Rucker relishes rivalries
- [Pro Bowl] Strong safety Mike Brown is in a virtual tie with Dallas' Roy Williams, a fraction of 1 percent behind in the total Pro Bowl vote. (Chicago Tribune)
- [Dallas Cowboys] Bill Parcells said starting inside linebacker Scott Shanle (ankle) continues to make progress. Shanle, who was inactive against Denver, is listed as probable this week. (DallasCowboys.com)
- Athlete Run-Ins: Darin Erstad
- [Seattle Seahawks] Seattle kicker Josh Brown, who hit his only field-goal attempt of the day, a 36-yard overtime game-winner, was nominated for NFC Special Teams Player of Week 12. The award went to Eagles K David Akers. (NFL.com)
- [Minnesota Vikings] Defensive back Ralph Brown, who signed with the Vikings in September 2004, said last season's team "might have gotten a little burned out" after a physical training camp and a steady dose of full-contact practices.
"We didn't know how that would take a toll on our bodies," Brown said. "This year, I think coach Tice cut back, and he's keeping us fresh. Now, we're winning at the right time." (Duluth News Tribune)
- Eskimos' biggest cheerleader misses the parade (Kabongo)
11/29/05
- [Miami Dolphins] The Dolphins released LB TJ Hollowell, who had been signed one week ago off waivers from the Jets.
- [Carolina Panthers] The Panthers are petitioning the Elias Sports Bureau for a scoring change in Sunday's game which would give defensive end Mike Rucker another sack. On the play in question, Rucker forced quarterback J.P. Losman out of the pocket and he fumbled. It was originally ruled a running play, but the Panthers hope to get it amended. That would give Rucker 7.5 for the season and the team lead. He's tied with Julius Peppers at 6.5. (Buzzfans.com)
11/28/05
- Could MLB veteran Darin Erstad have played in the NHL? Maybe, he says
- Kicker Brown in the Pink
- [CFL] The Edmonton Eskimos earned a wild 38-35 overtime decision over the Montreal Alouettes in the CFL Grey Cup.
The Eskimos could've cemented the victory with nine seconds left in regulation when defensive backs Keyuo Craver and Donnie Brady both took turns bobbling and dropping an errant Anthony Calvillo pass. That allowed Alouettes kicker Damon Duval to boot a 27-yard field goal on the final play of the fourth quarter and force overtime. (CP)
- WEEK 12: Stats and Stories
11/27/05
- Brown's overtime FG gives Seahawks Giant win
11/26/05
- Veteran Minter coming into his own as safety
- Kiffin Completes 2-Year Extension
- Panthers' Rucker aware of 'Madden Curse'
11/23/05
- [Dallas Cowboys] LB Scott Shanle (ankle) practiced Wednesday and is expected to play during Week 12. (KFFL)
- Chiefs CB Eric Warfield was nominated for AFC Defensive Player of Week 11, which was awarded to Cleveland linebacker Andra Davis. Warfield had nine tackles with one fumble recovery and scored on a 57-yard interception return. (NFL.com)
- Farther north: Edmonton DB Keyuo Craver was also nominated for a weekly award as CFL defensive player of the week but that honor went to teammate Steve Marsh.
11/22/05
- [MLB] The Oakland A's 40-man roster now stands at 38 players, after the A's added their Rule 5 protections (Herrera, Andre Ethier, and Shane Komine). (BaseballToaster.com)
- Dolphins claim TJ Hollowell with Zach Thomas injured
- Life is a Kick
11/21/05
- [New York Jets] The Jets announced they have waived LB TJ Hollowell who had been signed away from the Giants pracitice squad last month. (KFFL)
- WEEK 11: Stats and Stories
11/20/05
- Its a Snap (Hochstein, 2nd item)
- Warfield fires up Chiefs defense
- [CFL] The Edmonton Eskimos earned a trip to the Grey Cup by beating the host B-C Lions 28-23.
In the first half, a pass from the Edmonton quarterback bounced off a receiver and right into the hands of Lions' Barron Miles. That interception sparked the 18-point Lions rally to tie the game and leave the result in doubt. (Edmonton Sun)
A last-gasp Lions drive was snuffed out when Esks CB Keyuo Craver intercepted backup quarterback Casey Printers pass at the goal line in the final two minutes. (CP)
11/18/05
- [Minnesota Vikings] Head coach Mike Tice remarked about new left guard Toniu Fonoti's talent and footwork, and he is optimistic that the 6-foot-4 behemoth will be in good enough shape to succeed.
Fonoti arrived in Minnesota at around 400 pounds, and he's down to about 385 right now. His ideal weight, Tice estimated, is between 370 and 375. For a guy that big, what's the difference?
"Like taking a deck chair off the Queen Mary," Tice joked. "Like the captain telling you to take a suitcase off a 747. It is not that big of a factor."
Tackle Bryant McKinnie, listed at 6-foot-8 and 335 pounds, was eager to work with a new partner. "We're probably the biggest left side in the league right now," McKinnie said. "It'll be fun." (AP)
- Green wants to stay
- Wiegert's Return (2nd item)
11/17/05
- Liwienski out, behemoth Fonoti in as Vikings shuffle line
- Johnson joins Street on All-Rookie team
- Going Pro Bowling?: Super Demorrio is NFL's leading vote getter at OLB
- Russ Hochstein:
-Pats' Hochstein ready to fill in for Koppen
-Hochstein feels ready
-Patriots' Hochstein in position to replace Koppen
-Hochstein moves to center stage
-Hochstein playing catch-up for date with Saints
- [Kasnas City Chiefs] OG Will Shields will become the fourth player since 1970 to start more than 200 consecutive games. (NFL.com)
- Nashville athletes fan competitive fire (Vanden Bosch)
11/16/05
- [Carolina Panthers] Part of Jake Delhomme's response on what makes the Bears defense so good: "They're talented all across the board. ...And watching Mike Brown back there, he's kind of like Mike Minter. They control things back there." (Panthers.com)
- [Carolina Panthers] Mike Rucker and Julius Peppers are third among defensive end tandems in the NFL with a combined 12 sacks. Rucker, with 6.5 sacks, and Peppers, with 5.5, trail only Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney of Indianapolis (16 sacks) and Osi Umenyiora and Michael Strahan of the New York Giants (15.5).
- If safety Mike Minter plays at Chicago, he will move into second place on the Panthers all-time games played list with 126, surpassing, ironically, Muhsin Muhammad (now with the Bears), who appeared in 125 games from 1996-2004. John Kasay ranks as the team's all-time leader in games played. (Panthers.com)
- Lack of contract offer hurts Green
- [New England Patriots] As expected, center Dan Koppen was placed on injured reserve with a separated shoulder suffered Sunday in Miami. Russ Hochstein, who played well as the starting guard in place of Damien Woody through the 2003 playoffs, becomes the starter at center. (Boston Herald)
11/15/05
- AFL pitching analysis and outlook (Shane Komine)
11/14/05
- Inside Dish: A Titan on the go
- Bills burn Warfield
- [Tennessee Titans] Several Titans - defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch, center Justin Hartwig, linebacker Brad Kassell, safety Tank Williams, linebacker Rocky Boiman and cornerback Tony Beckham - become unrestricted free agents at season's end. General Manager Floyd Reese has said the Titans would like to keep Vanden Bosch, who is among the NFL leaders in sacks this season. The Titans and Hartwig's agent have talked without much progress. (The Tennessean)
- [Houston Texans] Right guard Zach Wiegert, who missed the last four games with a high ankle sprain, might return against the Chiefs. "We're sure hoping to get Zach back this week," coach Dom Capers said. "We feel like we will get him back. He's been improving every week." (Houston Chronicle)
- [CFL: Stampeders 33-Eskimos 26] Esks CB Keyuo Craver made four tackles and recovered a fumble. On the other side, Calgary K Sandro DeAngelis hit his only field goal attempt, a 52-yarder. (CFL.ca)
- Update on Jamal Strong
- WEEK 10: Stats and Stories
11/11/05
- Vanden Bosch Hoping His Play Will Earn Him Long-term Deal
- Vanden Bosch gains respect around NFL
- [Carolina Panthers ] Coach John Fox said he didn't think teams were overlooking defensive end Mike Rucker since Julius Peppers was on the other side. Both have been productive lately, with Peppers registering three sacks at Tampa while Rucker had two, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
"No. They don't at all," Fox said. "They look at the tape, so they know what he's capable of. I'm sure there are times when they are more worried about him than Pep. I don't think he goes unnoticed." (Buzzfans.com)
- Safety Mike Minter was (thigh) was upgraded to probable after sitting out Wednesday's work. (Buzzfans.com)
- [CFL] B.C. Lions DB Barron Miles and Calgary K Sandro DeAngelis were selected as 2005 CFL West All Stars.
- Grove, back healthy, loses center job to Treu
11/10/05
- In his "Midseason awards", CBS SportsLine.com writer Clark Judge tabbed Titans DE Kyle Vanden Bosch as the best "Free-agent pickup".
- KFFL Injury Notes: Panthers S Mike Minter (thigh) returned to practice Thursday and is listed as questionable for Week 10; Texans OG Zach Wiegert (ankle) did not practice Wednesday (Houston Chronicle); Vikings OG Toniu Fonoti (hand) practiced in full Wednesday but is listed as doubtful for week 10 and is still a few weeks away from playing; Chiefs CB Eric Warfield (hip) practiced Wednesday and is likely to play during Week 10 (Kansas City Star)
- [Carolina Panthers] DE Mike Rucker was named NFC defensive player of the week after his all-over-the-place day against Tampa Bay. Rucker had 2.0 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in the Panthers 34-14 win. His recovery led to the Panthers first touchdown, which gave them a commanding 10-0 lead.
Even though he won player of the month honors in September 2002 and September 2003, this is his first player of the week award. (Buzzfans.com)
- Incognito halts effort to play for Rams in '05
- Pats shop for charity (Hochstein)
11/09/05
- [Minnesota Vikings] CB Fred Smoot is expected to miss four to six weeks because of a broken right collarbone. The loss allows Ralph Brown to move into the nickel back position. (AP)
- Mike Eckert, a writer for the E. Michigan University paper, accused the Lions organization of lacking heart. Eckert laid into the owner, the GM, the head coach and some of the players. One player in particular however, was singled out on a positive note:
"...And finally, there are the players. For this discussion, fullback Cory Schlesinger will not be included because he is nothing but heart. His collection of broken facemasks proves it, but one man, especially a fullback, can only do so much."
- Detroit Lions lack heart, leadership
- Fleiszer the Tom Pate nominee (K.Craver, Kabongo)
- Rams place Incognito on injured reserve
- [Carolina Panthers] Defensive end Mike Rucker is on pace to tie his career best of 12 sacks in 2003, when he went to his first Pro Bowl. Rucker has six takedowns through eight games. (Panthers.com)
11/07/05
- Belcher Probably Out for Season
- Peppers, Rucker lead commotion
- WEEK 9: Stats and Stories
11/06/05
- [Kansas City Chiefs] G Will Shields started his 199th consecutive game and played in his 200th consecutive game, extending his team records.
- Eagles suspend Owens (incl. Fryar comments)
- On the record with Eric Piatkowski
- Hawks like what Brown can do for them
- Bucs worry about what Minter can do
11/05/05
- Buffalo News reporter Mark Gaughan pegged Kyle Vanden Bosch as the Comeback Player of the NFL midseason.
- Minter's smile gives opponent away
11/04/05
- Treu embraces role as a backup or starter
- Gregg Popovich, the head coach of the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs, will be honored by his alma mater, Merrillville High School, on Dec. 30.
According to the Post-Tribune in Merrillville, Indiana, Popovich's "jersey will join those of New England Patriots cornerback Eugene Wilson and (former) Green Bay Packers cornerback Jamel Williams".
11/03/05
- [Oakland Raiders] On the offensive line, center Jake Grove is physically ready to return but Turner is hesitant to alter the line's makeup for the sake of continuity. Grove was limited in practice. Adam Treu is expected to draw his third straight start, with Grove backing up at center and also ready to play at left guard behind Brad Badger. (Silver & Black Illustrated)
- Surprises and disappointments in the first half of the 2005 NFL season (Vanden Bosch & D.Williams)
- [Dallas Cowboys] Recovering LB Dat Nguyen on how Scott Shanle and Bradie James have performed in his place: "I'm thrilled with how those guys have done," says Capt. Dat. "If it's not broke, don't fix it. Starting is not a big deal to me. I've been in the league a long time. It's a team sport. Any way I can come in and help this team, contribute to get a 'W', that's all that matters." (DallasCowboys.com)
- The Red Sox are rumored to be involved in a blockbuster that Theo Epstein could possibly assist in engineering on his way out the door.
The Los Angeles Times, citing baseball sources, reported on its website Wednesday that the Angels are making a bid for Manny Ramirez in a three-team trade that would also include the Diamondbacks.
The deal would send Diamondbacks third baseman Troy Glaus and Angels first baseman Darin Erstad to the Red Sox. Arizona would receive additional players and prospects. (Hartford Courant)
11/02/05
- Pat Kirwan: On the comeback trail (Vanden Bosch)
- [CFL] Sandro DeAngelis was nominated as Calgary's candidate for Special Teams player of the year as well as Rookie of the year. (OurSportsCentral.com)
- Eskimos DB Keyuo Craver and Alouettes LB Jeremiah Garrison were finalists for Defensive Player of the Week which was awarded to Stampeders LB Brian Clark. (CP)
11/01/05
- Emerging players lift their game (Vanden Bosch)