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Spencer Hall — 2010-09-07 18:25:47 GMT

Gary Cosby Jr. - AP

2 days ago: Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones makes a diving one hand grab of a pass for a touchdown during the first half against San Jose State in Tuscaloosa, Ala., Saturday, Sept. 4, 2010. (AP Photo/The Decatur Daily, Gary Cosby Jr.)

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Each week during the college football season, SB Nation's Spencer Hall runs down the alphabet in taking a look at the college football landscape.

A is for Atrophy. Welcome back to college football, college football, and man, you have seriously lost tone here. It's like you haven't done this for seven months. Blocked kicks, sloppy offensive play, moments with absolutely no blocking whatsoever, blown assignments -- and did you just have difficulty with the most basic element of the game, actually snapping the ball? Did you do it thirteen times at least in a variety of horrifying fashions? You did, didn't you?

Did you play the part of Navy, who went to the red zone five times against Maryland and came away with 14 points, just one less than if they'd just kicked a successful field goal on first down on each of those possessions? Were you Boise State or Virginia Tech, the two teams in Monday night's game who alternated displays of special teams horror with brainless penalties? Or were you LSU or Florida, two teams playing vastly overmatched competition who nevertheless managed to simultaneously thrill and nauseate your fans in varying degrees by keeping it far, far closer than it had to be? Did you go for two four times for no apparent reason and give up 36 points to Hawaii?

If the answer is yes, then we've got some serious work to do here. Don't even tell me what you ate for lunch. If I wanted to hear about eating crap, I'd have made a metaphorical joke about Ole Miss losing to an FCS team. It's like you didn't even get on an elliptical, man.

B is for Bravado. Pitt, Virginia Tech, and LSU, stand up with pride. Your teams lost* this weekend, but unlike 92% of college football you actually chose to play someone, and for that you will likely be punished by voters throughout the season for your loss. Pitt went to the nasty and underrated environment in Utah and nearly pulled out a win on the road with a first-time starting QB. That is impressive, but consider they did this with Dave Wannstedt in charge of a few key strategic decisions, too, which really is impressive.

Virginia Tech embraced thankless valor by playing Boise, the team no one wants, and very nearly beat them despite falling behind 17-0 to start the game and eating two horrendous turns of officiating on the final drive of the game. For many voters, this will mean downgrading them slightly despite playing real competition. Many voters, in case you didn't know, are successful sportswriters despite having low-grade brain damage.

LSU was brave to play a game versus UNC, and their loss* to the Tar Heels will likely also hurt them in the national standings, but everyone knows a team is most dangerous when they're forced to put in walk-ons and freshmen all over the place due to 12 players being suspended in an academic fraud scandal.*

*I know that LSU won this game, but they didn't win this game, and every terrified LSU fan walking out of the Georgia Dome on Saturday night with dead eyes and the thousand yard stare knows they're on the same runaway donkey cart they were on last year with this team. In the words of Les Miles on an errant tweet from this weekend: "Woeojuwejhdjwe."

(via @Itismemc on Twitter)

C is for Curve. The one we're grading on in week one. Take Florida, for example. Do we judge them harshly based on one horrendous performance against Miami of Ohio? No, not at all. It's perfectly normal to rack up fewer than 250 yards against one of the worst teams in FBS football, and to only have 14 yards at the half, and SERIOUSLY STEVE ADDAZIO I WILL CUT YOU I mean, no, it's fine. I'm sure that's something they'll get fixed in the span of a week before USF comes into the Swamp, since it's common for an offense that can't block on the perimeter, snap the ball, or run the ball to fix all of those in the span of five practices.

/nods

/prays

/doesn'tbelieveawordofthis

Then again, consider the case of USC, whose defense looked every bit as porous and permissive as it did last year against Hawaii in the season opener. USC's offense was fine, and in fact niftily efficient in going nine of 12 on third down, mostly doing this through the run. The defense remained an atrocity, giving up 585 yards to the Warriors with the only consolation coming in the Trojan's continuing ability to impair the future cognitive abilities of opposing quarterbacks.

D is for Dastardly. Houston has a long heritage of taking opponents to the wood chipper, feeding them through, then capturing what remains, pureeing it, then straining it, then putting the strained remains through a whiskey still, bottling that refined elixir of decimated opponent, and then selling it to a hobo who drops half of it on the pavement while not appreciating its fine notes of incinerated secondary and anise. (Real talk: a burned secondary does in fact taste a little bit like licorice. The more you know.)

Houston beat SMU 95-21 in 1989 and amassed over a thousand yards in that game, so this weekend's 68-28 bombing of Texas State counts as practically tasteful in comparison. (Especially as it was 54-7 at the half, and the Cougars obviously pulled up and let the backups do work to keep some shred of decorum about the place.)

It looks even better when compared with Oregon's 72-0 effort against the University of New Mexico. We could tell you about the murder, but sometimes it's better to just show you the crime scene pics to give you an idea of how savage this was: 720 yards of offense, a 35-8 advantage in first downs against the Lobos, and a 369-25 margin in rushing yards. We officially know very little about Oregon, but can safely deduce from one game that New Mexico is a horrible, horrible football team.

E is for Egress. What Denard Robinson sought against UConn's tackles and attempts to slow him down; alas for poor UConn, he found the exits well-lit and clearly marked time and time again. More kind words for Robinson will follow, but UConn certainly aided and abetted by continuing to hold their safeties way, way back in coverage when Michigan made it abundantly clear they had little interest in throwing the ball at all on a consistent basis. Michigan repeatedly lined up in a five wide set with Robinson clearly prepared to run the QB power play, and UConn let Michigan have the numerical advantage in the box each time. Robinson was brilliant on 29 carries for 197 yards and a score, but no one steals that much loot that quickly without the silent accomplice of someone else's negligence playing a part.

F is for Futurama. Sometimes only robot humor can sum up the depths of sadness a team can sink to, and those times usually have something to do with Ron Zook.

Illinois had a lead, which means they were going to lose a lead, which they did, blowing a 13-3 halftime lead and losing 23-13 to Missouri. If we could teleport into the soul of an Illini fan for just on second, it would have been at the moment when Mizzou's Carl Gettis downed a punt at the Illinois 1 early in the fourth quarter. Sitting there on the one yard line with a freshman quarterback looking 99 yards down the field at the endzone they needed to get to, the sense of impending doom must have been so vivid it had its own smell and taste, something like "Ron Zook's FAILpops for Children: Now With Real Glass!"

G is for Galloping, Unimpeded: Evidently the Big 12 had the running back bonus card this week. First Kendall Hunter averages 12 yards a carry in gaining 257 yards and four scores against Washington State, a team so bad at this point we should all just begin applying some kind of modifier to stats gained against them. Apply handicap of 75%, carry the two here, add in weather modifier...yes, that's about 212 yards and 3.2 scores in actual yards against teams that don't want to die the minute they step on the field. Impressive work even with the Wazzu modifier in play.

Daniel Thomas then got in on the Great Plains rushfest with 234 yards on 28 carries, though he tastefully only scored two TDs on UCLA in a 31-22 win. What's Bill Snyder doing playing real competition in week one, you ask? He confused them for "University of California--Las Abogados," the club team fielded by the state university system's staff attorneys. It won't happen again, he swears.

H is for Hasty. Oh, i so wanted to blame Les Miles for mismanaging the clock at the end of the UNC/LSU game. It felt so right, watching the ball fly out of Stevan Ridley's hands, looking at the LSU fans all slacken as if they'd had a massive collective stroke, and then trying to figure out if LSU could have taken a knee and completely run the clock out.

The play, though, was run with 1:17 left on the clock, meaning UNC would have been left with a smidge of time even if UNC had stopped them on third down. They didn't, by the way: Ridley's fumble came well after he crossed the first down marker, and if he'd flopped in a clock-savvy fashion LSU would have avoided giving the ball back to UNC completely. For once, you may not blame the Hat's Adventures In Time for the heart-stopping finish to the game.

I is for Infuriated. If we'd outgunned Maryland by a 485 to 272 margin in yardage and lost by three points, we'd threaten to bite the nose off a referee, too.

J s for Jackals. The Boise State debate would and should wait, but note that Boise State did what good teams do: scavenge yardage from penalties, take every edge imaginable, and behave in a fashion embracing marginal value at every turn. The flop Broncos punter Kyle Brotzman took early was worthy of a Duke point guard, and just as winning in the end since it triggered a second 15-yard penalty. It's cheap, but combined with skill it wins in big games.

K is for Kenophobia. The fear of large empty spaces, as in the kind of spaces that Utah State receivers ran through without molestation or abuse against Oklahoma. Freshman corners will take years off the life of anyone, but if this continues Bob Stoops will have to adjust his life expectancy into the negative and record his official date of death as sometime in October 2003. Utah State passed for 341 yards on the Sooners both thanks to wide open spaces in the secondary and due to a lack of pass rush. Fear: in week one, you will eat it three meals a day.

L is for Lassitude. A lack of energy best describes Ole Miss's defensive collapse against Jacksonville State, a strange group malaria that hit them in the third quarter and allowed the Gamecocks of the OVC to run left, right, and straight up the middle. Bizarre described it best: Ole Miss either lost the desire to function defensively at all, or the Gamecocks were able to charge at the strength of the Ole Miss defense without fear or obstruction. I like the theory of three hour malaria, myself, but I'm a big Guns, Germs, and Steel fan and like my explanation to involve pathogens.

I said it on Saturday, but I repeat: now that Houston Nutt has lost his big freaky game for the year, you may bet the mortgage on them ending Alabama's win streak in an unspeakable and grotesque manner in 2010. It's Houston Nutt, and that's just the way these things happen.

M is for Miami. The team no longer fights on the field, but the 'Canes fans remain loyal to literally brawling in the name of their team.

What's chill? Not even moving from your seat when you're in the middle of a fight. Well done, Chill Smith of The Fresh Prince of Chill-Air.

N is for Nugatory. Of no value or importance, a term applying to Alabama, Texas, Georgia, Ohio State, West Virginia, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Iowa, Penn State, Oregon, Arkansas, and every other team that played a televised scrimmage this Saturday and blew them out in easy fashion.

O is for Oedematous. Or swollen, which is the way a five-day college football opening weekend felt. Not that a glutton complains, but it should be noted that every week will not always be this Golden Corral buffet of football: mostly insignificant nutritionally, but in ample quantities and spread all over the damn place.

P is for Plenipotentiary. Meaning a diplomatic representative given full powers by his government as a representative, or in other words the proxy for departed TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes in the form of current TCU defensive end Wayne Daniels. Daniels was not a problem on Saturday for Oregon State's offensive line, because problems get solved. Dilemma is the better word for Daniels, because dilemmas have no solutions, and sometimes get two sacks and force a fumble in crucial games against BCS conference competition. There is zero dropoff from Hughes here for TCU, and that is really, really unfair, universe.

Q is for Quackle: To choke. The ghost of Charlie Weis more than approved of Virginia Tech, up 30-26, throwing on third and 8 to stop the clock with two minutes instead of running the ball and taking even more time off the clock. Boise was out of timeouts at the time and completely at the mercy of the Hokies on the clock. Boise would likely have scored anyway--Kellen Moore was four of five on his last drive and simply surgical when it counted--but don't give a gasping man any more rope than he needs.

R is for Robots. The quietly competent performance by Notre Dame split the spotlight somewhat between them and Michigan in the 3:30 game on Saturday, but the Wolverines have something astonishing on both lines: nimble, mean players who can move the way Rich Rodriguez's undersized but fierce West Virginia teams did in outmanning bigger, slower competition in the Big East.

The greatest beneficiary of this will be Denard Robinson, aka "Shoelace," the quicksilver dude with the flying braids who savaged UConn and likely soiled the pants of Big Ten defensive coordinators by taking the ball from the center, placing it in his hands, cocking said ball, and then releasing the ball in a catapult-style motion with respectable quickness through space and into the hands of men who then caught said ball and ran with it. It's called "throwing," and though he's not going to turn into Matt Barkley anytime soon, Matt Barkley will never sniff a 4.4 40, either.

He will get most of the credit if Michigan's early euphoria turns into late season bowl game potential, but the offensive line worked with mechanistic precision early, late, and often on Saturday. The success of the coolest high school offense you will ever see depends on them staying killing-robot-mean for 12 more games.

S is for Sane. Just a quick note that Mike Patrick said nothing insane while calling the Maryland/Navy game. I can only assume this means he will call the next game while suspended from the ceiling in moon boots.

T is for Tragedy. Go read the North Dakota State/Kansas box score. Don't make any plans afterwards. As Doc Saturday notes, it makes the killing of Bambi's mother look like knee-slapping comedy, and is as bad a beginning for Turner Gill's career at Kansas as one could possibly envision short of a meteor striking the field mid-game.

U is for Uniforms:

Dear Nike,

Please remit all profits from the Boise and Virginia Tech uniforms to Paul Verhoeven, please.

Thanks,

TriStar Pictures Legal

(Similarity pointed out by @millersteve.)

V is for Vafrous: Cunning, or sly, or everything that Mike Riley's successful fake punt against TCU in a valiant losing effort was. TCU lost last year's Fiesta Bowl in part due to a Boise State fake, and Riley cleverly opted to see if TCU could be caught with pants down in multiple situations--and look at that, on fourth down and punt we had a pantsless horned frog looking very embarrassed again. On a very good night for the other BCS Anarchists' Team, it was one of the few genuinely negative moments to be had.

W is for Wonderful. Starting at linebacker for Boston College, Mark Herzlich played without incident or injury after returning from cancer treatment. Hugs and well-wishes all around.

X is for Xebec. A small, three-masted ship often used by pirates, the sort who used to sail the big galleons at Texas Tech but now opt for smaller, more defensive-minded craft in the debut of the Tommy Tuberville era. Not that Tech looked appreciably different than a Mike Leach team on offense in throwing the ball 53 times in a 35-27 victory over SMU, but holding an SMU offense to 27 points in mostly late scores shows hints of a commitment to attempting to stop the other team from scoring touchdowns with the football that locals may find alarming and disturbing. We assure you: it and the tackling that accompanies it is legal under the rules of the game and the state of Texas.

Y is for Yarling: A wailing noise, which is precisely what Cincinnati fans should be making after a miserable 28-14 debut loss for Butch Jones against Fresno. The opposite of the noise made by Notre Dame fans in beating Purdue 23-12. CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM, IRISH FANS: you should have this down by now.

Z is for Zakuska. A Russian word for snack, which is what you just had in comparison with the vast expanse of the season to come.

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TBD All News

Ryan Kearney — 2010-09-07 20:35:00 GMT

One man wrote a song about all of us living in a yellow submarine, while the other famously sang, "We don't smoke marijuana in Muskogee / We don't take our trips on LSD / We don't burn our draft cards down on Main Street / We like livin' right, and bein' free." But that was more than 40 years ago. I'm sure Paul McCartney and Merle Haggard, when they share the stage at the Kennedy Center Honors in December, will find they have a lot more in common now than not.

And if they don't get along, at least they'll have three other people to talk to: controversial choreographer Bill T. Jones, Broadway musical composer Jerry Herman, and Oprah Winfrey, who's famous primarily for launching a magazine just so she could appear on its cover every month. The Dec. 28 ceremony will be broadcast on CBS, which, for me, means a night of fooling with an old pair of rabbit ears. For the full press release, which is full of quotes that I doubt anyone actually spoke, click here.

NFL news

PFW staff — 2010-09-07 16:48:15 GMT

Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2010

Patriots WR Randy Moss, quoted on ESPN.com regarding his dissatisfaction for not having a contract beyond this season: "When you have done so much and put so much work in, it kind of feels like I am not wanted. I am taking that in stride and playing my final year out and whatever the future holds is what it holds, but it is kind of a bad feeling — feeling not wanted. It is not like my production has gone down. I am speaking from an individual standpoint. I don't know about [Patriots QB] Tom [Brady's] or whoever else's contract." Added Moss: "I am a little older and understand the nature of the business — the older you get the more your skills supposedly diminish, but I think I am getting wiser in how to use my physical skills. That's the frustrating part when you put so much heart and desire into things and feel like you are not wanted."

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, quoted on sportsradiointerviews.com on his belief that the league will eventually go to at least 18 games: "We actually have in the Collective Bargaining Agreement the ability to take it to 22 games. That's not the spirit of it. You want players to be buying into it. Certainly it has the chance of enhancing the player's financial benefits because it does grow the pie. The more the pie grows, the players get the majority of the money when the pie grows. I think the nature of how you would prepare for those 18 games would have less physical impact than we have now. At the end of the day I think we will be going to 18 games, but certainly with the positive input of players."

Colts WR Anthony Gonzalez is not convinced that he was given a fair shot to win his starting job back after missing the 2009 season with a knee injury, as quoted in The Indianapolis Star: "What I wanted and what I was promised was an opportunity to compete for a job. I don't know [if that occurred]. All I wanted was what was promised to me. I'm not sure either way that it did.''

Jets CB Darrelle Revis, apologizing to Jets fans for the lengthy holdout — Revis agreed to a four-year deal late Sunday night — as quoted on NJ.com: "Sorry, to the fans. This is a process I don't wish it on nobody. It was something in my life I had to go through… This humbled me very much, just because I love to play football."

Bills DE Marcus Stroud, praising QB Trent Edwards, who was named the starter by head coach Chan Gailey over the weekend, as quoted on CNYCentral.com: "He's carrying himself like a veteran quarterback. Despite what everybody was saying and writing him off and everything, he still came in here like he was the leader, like he was the starting quarterback. And everybody took notice of that."

For authoritative coverage and analysis of NFL news, free agency and fantasy football, visit ProFootballWeekly.com.

msnbc.com: U.S. news

2010-09-07 17:03:16 GMT

Dancer, choreographer and director Bill T. Jones; country singer Merle Haggard; and Broadway composer Jerry Herman also to be honored for contributions to American culture.

ScreenCrave.com - Passionate about movies

Krystal Clark — 2010-09-07 22:05:25 GMT

The five honorees have been revealed for the 33rd Annual Kennedy Center Honors. According to the LA Times, Oprah Winfrey along with Paul McCartney, director Bill T. Jones; country singer-songwriter Merle Haggard; and Broadway composer and lyricist Jerry Herman will be doted on during the ceremony later this year. The Kennedy Center Honors recognize [...]

The Young, Black, and Fabulous

_YBF — 2010-09-07 21:47:15 GMT

Talk show mogul Oprah Winfrey will receive this year's Kennedy Center Honors. Find out when the awards air and read about Tiger's prestigious invitation when you go inside...

The Kennedy Center Honors will be taped at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington on December 5 and broadcast by CBS as a two-hour television special on December 28.

Oprah will join Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney, country music's Merle Haggard, choreographer and dancer Bill T. Jones and lyricist-composer Jerry Herman ("Hello, Dolly!") as a receipient.

Tiger Woods was invited to represent the United States in the upcoming Ryder Cup tournament, one of the most prestigious events in the sport. Despite not being the hottest golfer in the game right now, Tiger's body of work won him the invitation as he is one of the the greatest players the sport has ever seen.

Blackfolks

2010-09-07 19:51:32 GMT

Oprah Winfrey is among the five honorees who will receive Kennedy Center Honors, it was announced Tuesday.

Sir Paul McCartney, Merle Haggard, choreographer and dancer Bill T. Jones and lyricist-composer Jerry Herman ("Hello, Dolly!") will also be celebrated at the December ceremony.

Winfrey's reaction, according to The Washington Post, "Wow-zee!"

The talk show host, who will step down after 25 years to focus on launching her network, OWN, continued, "This feels like an official American citizenship in a very exclusive club of artists and contributors to the nation in a very special way. It feels like an elevated kind of award and there aren’t many in this category. They look at your work, your life work, who you are as a human being and the spirit of who you are as a human being. Not many honors look at that depth."

David Rubenstein, the center's chairman, explained the decision to include her: "For more than 25 years, Oprah Winfrey has established one of the most innovative careers in the entertainment world, with distinctive accomplishments in television and film."

This isn't the first time a television personality has been honored; in 1993, Johnny Carson received an award.

It's the second time McCartney has been nominated. He had to pull out of the ceremony due to a family obligation in 2002.

"We first asked if he had any relatives getting married the first week of December," joked George Stevens Jr., the longtime producer of the event, to the Post. "He is very pleased and we are pleased to have him in the group."

Said McCartney, who won the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song last June, "President Kennedy was such an icon for us in the Sixties and his presidency was so inspiring for so many people that it is a great pleasure for this kid from Liverpool to receive this honor."

Source

Fanhouse NFL Blog

David Whitley — 2010-09-07 13:20:00 GMT

Filed under: Cowboys

It's September, time for the America's Team bandwagon to depart for its annual trip into the ditch.

Please buckle up. This Cowboys' crash is going to hurt worse than most.

All those poor passengers think they're destined for a Super Bowl at Cowboys Stadium.

"For this team to do the ultimate this year would be on par with having won the first Super Bowl," Jerry Jones said. "I haven't gotten over that. It would be something out of a storybook.

"A man can dream."

So can women, children and livestock. In fact, a recent survey showed 84 percent of U.S. sheep think Dallas will win the Super Bowl.

When will they learn?

These are the Cowboys, the undisputed heavyweight champs of hype. Vince Lombardi will hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy before Jones does, but that won't stop Dallas from being the NFL's permanent contribution to America's Most Overrated.

Rock band -- Guns N' Roses. Actor -- Sean Penn (in any role after Jeff Spicoli), Football Coach -- Whoever's at Notre Dame.

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Chicagoist

Marcus Gilmer — 2010-09-07 19:20:00 GMT

She's heading in to the final season of the current incarnation of her show and prepping to go to the next stage - her own network - and the accolades keep rolling in for Oprah. This morning, she was named one of 2010 Kennedy Center honorees. Her reaction? "Wowie gazowie.” (We prefer fellow honoree Merle Haggard's reaction, calling it a “nice kick in the stomach.”) Oprah (and Merle) will be joined by Sir Paul McCartney, Jerry Herman, and Bill T. Jones. The honorees are "recognized for their lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts." Kennedy Center Chairman David M. Rubenstein said of The Big O, "For more than 25 years, Oprah Winfrey has established one of the most innovative careers in the entertainment world, with distinctive accomplishments in television and film." The ceremony will be held on December 5 and broadcast on television on December 28. We look forward to watching as it will probably be the only time we see Merle and Oprah on stage together and because, selfishly, we really want to see them duet on "Pancho and Lefty."

Entertainment Newswire | Black Voices

Brennan Williams — 2010-09-07 16:47:00 GMT

Filed under: Television, News, Theater

When it comes to exemplifying performing arts in American culture, the annual Kennedy Center Honors showcases the lifetime achievements of today's most notable figures.

And this year's list of five honorees doesn't fall short of previous recipients, which includes Johnny Carson, Bruce Springsteen and Robert De Niro.

Today it was announced that President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will be on hand to present awards to Oprah Winfrey, Sir Paul McCartney, Merle Haggard, choreographer Bill T. Jones and lyricist-composer Jerry Herman.

Despite pulling the plug on her 25-year show next year to launch her network, OWN, Winfrey already feels that she has "elevated" her career with her latest accomplishment.

"This feels like an official American citizenship in a very exclusive club of artists and contributors to the nation in a very special way," the media maven revealed to the Washington Post. "It feels like an elevated kind of award, and there aren't many in this category. They look at your work, your life work, who you are as a human being and the spirit of who you are as a human being. Not many honors look at that depth."

For Jones, helming one of the world's leading dance establishments, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company (responsible for choreographing the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater), and landing a Tony Award for his Broadway musicals 'Spring Awakening' and 'Fela!' was more than enough to qualify for an honor this year at the Kennedy Center Opera House.

The 2010 Kennedy Center Honors takes place Dec. 5 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., and will air on CBS on Dec. 28.

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NYT > Arts

By BERNIE BECKER — 2010-09-07 22:00:21 GMT

Merle Haggard, Jerry Herman, Bill T. Jones, Paul McCartney and Oprah Winfrey are named Kennedy Center honorees.

Cleveland Leader

Julie Kent — 2010-09-07 21:54:43 GMT

Despite warnings from the White House and Gen. David Petraeus that he would endanger U.S. troops overseas, a Christian minister in Florida vowed Tuesday to go ahead with plans to burn copies of the Quran in protest of the September 11th terrorist attacks.

Pastor Jerry Jones of the Dove World Outreach Center, which has about 50 members, sa.

In an email to the AP, Petreaus warned that "images of the burning of a Quran would undoubtedly be used by extremists in Afghanistan - and around the world - to inflame public opinion and incite violence."

P.J. Crowley, a spokesman for the State Department, echoed Petreaus' sentiments, deeming plans to burn the Quran "un-American", stating that it doesn't represent the opinion of most people in the U.S. He added:

"While it may well be within someone's rights to take this action, we hope cooler heads will prevail."

Jones says that he is also concerned about how the burnings might be taken, but wonders how many times the U.S. can back down. He said:

Culture Monster

David Ng — 2010-09-07 17:47:14 GMT

Each year, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts bestows its top honors to leaders in the fields of arts and entertainment. If the annual groupings seem eclectic and random -- like a grab-bag dinner party of the cultural elite...

Change.org's Gay Rights Blog

Michael A. Jones — 2010-09-07 17:23:00 GMT

Oprah Winfrey, Merle Haggard, and Paul McCartney. These are practically household names, renowned for their artistic prowess and mega-media buzz. They're also three folks who will be honored by the Kennedy Center this year, as part of the annual Kennedy Center Honors ceremony held in December.

But while these three names are well known, two other folks will be receiving awards for their impact in the arts: Broadway composer/lyricist Jerry Herman, and choreographer Bill T. Jones. Both are openly gay, and both have made themes related to queerness, homosexuality, and HIV/AIDS central to their work.

Indeed, while Jerry Herman may not be a household name throughout the country, his music can be found in many an iTunes collection, particularly if you love yourself some show tunes. There's Hello, Dolly, which as a Broadway musical is one of the most successful in history. His work writing songs for that musical (including the title track) prompted actress Carol Channing to once say of Herman, "When they passed out talent, Jerry stood in line twice." There's also music from Mame, Mack & Mabel, and gay powerhouse show La Cage aux Folles, with its gay anthem song "I Am What I Am." La Cage hit Broadway in 1983, becoming one of the first mainstream Broadway megahits to focus on LGBT themes.

Bill T. Jones (no relation!), for his part, is equal parts artistic powerhouse. As part of an openly gay, interracial couple in the early 1980s, Jones went on to co-found the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, a choreography vehicle where Jones created more than 100 works. Two years ago, Jones brought the musical Fela! to New York, first as an off-Broadway show, and eventually as a Broadway show, where Jones would eventually win a Tony Award for choreography.

When Jones was told that he was being honored by the Kennedy Center, he noted that artists often feel like they're traveling outside the mainstream. It's hard not to see his words as reflective of the struggle of gay artists, in particular.

"I've always had this kind of position of feeling just outside, maybe the other, I don't know why but maybe a stepchild," Jones said, according to the Canadian Press. "As one gets older and you realize that your brand of art-making with its implied protest is actually something that people in positions of power respect, it's a very important change, very important change, it makes you feel more of a sense of responsibility but it's a responsibility you can accept joyfully."

So here's to celebrating a national honor for two LGBT megastars in the field of the arts. Move over Oprah, step aside Paul, and put that guitar down, Merle.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

2010-09-07 16:52:18 GMT

Oprah Winfrey, Paul McCartney, Bill T. Jones, Merle Haggard and Jerry Herman are this year's Kennedy Center honorees, announced Tuesday.

Have U Heard??

Shari — 2010-09-07 17:37:17 GMT

Daytime television goddess, Oprah Winfrey and music icon, Sir Paul McCartney are on the list of cultural figures announced today as recipients of Kennedy Center Honors, according to Gossip Cop. Joining Oprah and Paul McCartney will be musician Merle Haggard, choreographer Bill T. Jones, and composer Jerry Herman. McCartney accepted an invitation to receive an honor in [...]

Deadline.com

MIKE FLEMING — 2010-09-07 17:35:41 GMT

The Kennedy Center Honors this year will fete Oprah Winfrey, Paul McCartney, Bill T. Jones, Merle Haggard and Jerry Herman. The ceremony will be held December 5 and will be turned into a two-hour CBS special to be broadcast December 28. The honorees were selected for their American cultural contributions.

Inside Music Media

About Jerry (jdelcolliano@earthlink.net) — 2010-09-07 01:02:00 GMT

By Jerry Del Colliano

There are so many smart radio people in this business who know what they are doing and who even help their misguided employers do the best they can.

That’s why every once in a while I have to share with you some things that are real life actions by radio CEOs that show you the gulf between the people who work for them and their bosses.

So thanks to my “repeater reporters” who expose the folly of repeater radio, feast your eyes on this:

• Charging clients who help radio stations

As amazing as it seems, one of my readers told this story:

“Maybe you have written about this, but do you know what stations are charging someone who is giving them a free rock cruise? It's called a vendor fee. They want $750. Is this now a common thing?”

So now radio is like US Airways. Pay the freight for a station promotion and then you get to pay for your bags a second time -- if you know what I mean. The radio version is you pay the freight on the rock cruise and then you kickback a fee to the station you’re helping.

• No owner liked to take a radio station dark – until now

You’ve no doubt heard that Cumulus signed off an AM/FM in Louisville unceremoniously because it was an economic burden. That’s funny. Others were able to run them successfully. Good luck selling them. If the buyer doesn’t ask the question why is Cumulus getting out and trying to overcharge for these properties then they deserve to be saddled in debt of purchasing them?

Today, if a consolidator considers a radio station (or two) an economic drain, they sell them. But they can’t even wait to sell them intact. Must pull the plug and let everyone go. Is that necessary?

As one of my bitter Cumulus employees explained, “you can’t screw up a station that’s turned off”.

• The Miami Heat imitates radio

Lebron James sells seats so the Miami Heat NBA franchise fired 30 people in their sales department as they sold out that quickly. As one of my readers in the market pointed out, “Shortsighted as ad sales and sponsor sales get neglected and Miami fans are fickle.....”.

In radio, consolidators have been thinning the ranks of their sales departments for years now. Then taking away accounts and giving them to managers who get lower commissions. And did I mention sending local accounts to national headquarters to save money?

Mel Karmazin had it right: hire more salespeople to increase sales. But today, consolidators think radio will sell itself. Citadel wizard Farid Suleman wanted to thin his ranks a few years back because he argued that a lot of radio accounts renew automatically and shouldn’t require a commission be paid to the originating salesperson.

• Clear Channel upgrades station security

You may remember that Tucson police were called to keep the peace at the Inauguration Day Massacre at the Clear Channel cluster.

Now, it seems Clear Channel has gone overboard trying to make the facility stronger than Ft. Knox.

Listen for yourself:

“The ‘security upgrades’ were put into place in early to mid-2009. They started with a bulltproof glass enclosure for the receptionist's area, then kevlar around the main entry door from the lobby into the building.

Key card only entry points were added at multiple entrances, doorways and even closets throughout the building, and finally... a 16 camera CCTV system was installed with 2 of the cameras watching the parking lot, 1 watching the lobby, and the rest watching the employees.

Large flat screen TV's are now mounted in the front office and the Chief Engineer's office which display the multi-camera feeds 24/7. You can also log on to the intranet and watch the camera feeds as well.

Talk about overkill for a group of stations that run in automation most of the day. That, and the fact that very few people are even left to work there - roughly half the number that were there just 3 years ago. Empty cubicles abound.

Newer station facilities come with a similar security setup already in place, Tucson was 'catching up' with the others as a preventive measure. I know of other markets in older facilities though that have not gone to these lengths”.

There may be no job security at Clear Channel, but bulletproof glass – they've got plenty of that security.

• Ford has a better HD idea

This fall when the Edge is driven off car dealer lots, it will have HD radio in it as well as iTunes tagging. Apparently Ford is more sold on HD radio than radio CEOs who continue to program their HD channels like they are cable channels at 3 am – with unremarkable garbage.

It’s scary to think that a major radio advertiser is allowed to walk the plank with HD radio when you and I (and almost everyone else including every radio CEO) can save them the embarrassment.

HD is 20 years too late. Will not work. Will never be an asset and I’d be very concerned that a good radio advertiser is about to have a bad experience with radio. In fact, Ford is planning to advertise on HD Alliance stations which are really stations from hell with no audience.

Don’t do this to a major radio advertiser.

Let's end on a "smart" note and (surprise!) it comes from a local broadcaster -- C.J. Jones, Managing Partner of Low Country Radio:

"In February of this year my two partners and I closed on our purchase of WWJN-FM (now WLHH-FM) Ridgeland, South Carolina which covers the Hilton Head Island (market). Arbitron shows the market as #213. The facility also covers much of the Savannah metro but our mission is to super serve the Hilton Head market.

"Our programming is local, no satellite and we program the Greatest Hits of the 60's, 70's and 80's plus local news, a meteorologist and local traffic reports. As the other Hilton Head licensed stations became "corporate" they migrated to cover Savannah and basically abandoned the local market.

"In our 6th month we turned a profit, in August we increased revenue by better than 30% over July and we are going into September with more revenue pre-sold than we entered August with".

And you probably won't be surprised to hear that they are currently getting more involved with the Internet and other forms of digital distribution -- must be one of my readers!

See, who says Lew Dickey has all the brains?

For those of you who would prefer to get Jerry's daily posts by email for FREE, please click here. Then look for a verifying email from FeedBurner to start service.

Thanks for forwarding my pieces to your friends and linking to your websites and boards.

Blogging The Boys

Brandon Worley — 2010-09-06 23:00:31 GMT

More photos » LM Otero - AP

Sam Hurd's potential (and youth) was very likely a contributor to the Cowboys decision to trade Patrick Crayton.

Browse more photos »

In Part 1 of our Cowboys roster analysis, we delved into the decision by the team to keep just three cornerbacks and what might have led the Cowboys to choose Josh Brent and Sean Lissemore over Junior Siavii. There's no doubt that the 53-man roster will likely undergo changes as the season progresses, but with their initial roster cuts the Dallas Cowboys made some very interesting decisions.

With the current CBA designating that a veteran player is guaranteed a season's worth of salary if on the week one roster, it appears the Cowboys might be planning on bringing back a couple of players after the game against Washington. Cletis Gordon is a candidate, but you also have to wonder which players the Cowboys kept would be cut to make room.

Along those same lines I wanted to clarify an issue that came up from the discussion on the Cowboys keeping only three cornerbacks. Some were under the impression that the Cowboys would move Alan Ball to cornerback if something happened to the top three; in fact, Akwasi Owusu-Ansah should be the first option at that backup position. This allows the Cowboys to have just one backup player on the field, rather than shuffling two players around.

As we get into Part 2, we look at the controversial decision by the Cowboys to trade Patrick Crayton as well as trying to determine what role Leon Williams will have this season.

Offensive linemen

The Cowboys went deep at this position, deciding to keep ten offensive linemen when many teams keep eight or nine. While the injuries to Kyle Kosier and Marc Colombo likely played a part in this scenario, you also have to wonder if this was an instance of the Cowboys not willing to risk losing a young player while trying to get them onto the practice squad.

After a rough start to camp Robert Brewster, Sam Young and Phil Costa all showed great promise and potential and I doubt that all three would have passed through waivers. So on top of Montrae Holland and Alex Barron, the Cowboys keep three backup linemen on the 53-man roster.

Here's the issue: Holland is the only true backup guard among all the backups, and right now it's "50/50" that he starts against Washington. Brewster, Barron, and Young are tackles and Costa has received reps at center only. If Kosier is able to play on Sunday then the Cowboys roll with Holland as the backup, but if Holland is starting....things start to get interesting.

Perhaps, as a contingency plan, the Cowboys give reps to Costa this week at guard. It will certainly be interesting to hear what Wade's plan is and it all depends on Kosier's status for this week. If Kosier and Colombo are out, then your starters are Free-Holland-Gurode-Davis-Barron with Kosier, Colombo and Young as your likely inactives. That leaves Costa (center) and Brewster (tackle) as your active backups. Perhaps the Cowboys have eight active on the roster and roll with Young as well.

Whatever the scenario, week one is going to get interesting. After week one, with Kosier and Colombo hopefully healthy, it eases up a bit. There's talk about the Cowboys releasing Holland bringing in a replacement guard but there's a very, very small chance of that happening; Holland would be guaranteed his salary for the season after the Redskins game and unless he absolutely bombs (likely) then he's staying.

[Update: The DMN reports that Andre Gurode will be the backup guard against Washington should Kyle Kosier not be able to play. This means that if a guard were injured during the game, Gurode would slide over and Phil Costa would come in as the center.]

The Cowboys didn't want to lose any of their young linemen and decided to keep them all. Based on the position we're in right now, you can't blame the Cowboys for planning for the future and keeping three young and promising linemen.

Going deep at linebacker.

All preseason I had the Cowboys keeping just eight linebackers total. They decided to go with nine, going deep at inside linebacker and keeping Leon Williams. After watching Jason Williams continue to struggle (yes, he struggled) and Sean Lee fail to secure that nickel linebacker position, it became increasingly obvious that Leon Williams might be needed on this team.

Leon Williams was up and down this preseason, making several big plays each game while also blowing assignments and missing open field tackles. Yet the Cowboys might be willing to deal with the bad while cashing in on the good; for now, the Cowboys still don't have an answer at nickel linebacker.

It's likely the Cowboys roll out different players throughout the game, going with a combination of Jason Williams, Leon Williams and Mike Hamlin. Sean Lee should have the chance to earn that spot as the season progresses, but as the season starts Leon Williams is a needed commodity on the team.

You also have to think that Leon Williams might be one of the first to go if the Cowboys bring in outside help onto the 53-man roster.

The trade of Patrick Crayton

Last week I wrote how much of a mistake it would be for the Dallas Cowboys to trade or release Patrick Crayton, based on his status as the most consistent and reliable wide receiver of the Tony Romo era. For a team headed into a big season with Super Bowl hopes, Crayton was the type of player that the Cowboys desperately needed: a savvy veteran with great chemistry with the starting quarterback.

After his trade Cowboys fans were certainly divided on how they felt about his departure, and many were upset that a seventh-round pick is all the Cowboys were able to get in return. If Anquan Boldin is worth a third and fourth-round draft pick, and Santonio Holmes is worth a fifth, then a seventh-round pick is all the Cowboys should have hoped to get. In fact, for a player that was going to get released anyway, a seventh-rounder is one heck of a deal. Any talk about Jerry getting "fleeced" again in a trade is nonsense.

It's very clear at this point that Crayton was going to be released. There are some who say this was purely a monetary decision by the Cowboys. While I'm certain the Cowboys are keeping an eye on the future and what their cap hit might be next season, every indication coming from the team was that this was a move specifically because of the youth of the position and Crayton's apparent role on the team headed into the season.

Realistically, Patrick Crayton was the fourth receiver on the team. He also probably lost his job as punt returner to Dez Bryant and with AOA showing promise as a returner it seems his role as the backup was likely lost as well. This left the Cowboys with a 31-year old fourth receiver, who would likely keep either Sam Hurd or Kevin Ogletree off the roster.

Seeing what the Cowboys did at other positions, it's apparent the Cowboys were only going to keep five receivers this season. Jerry Jones loves Kevin Ogletree so he wasn't going anywhere; this left the decision to come down to a decision between Hurd and Crayton. With Hurd providing solid ability at receiver and a veteran, productive presence on special teams, it's easy to see why the younger receiver would win out.

While there might have been money involved in the decision this was also a decision for youth. The Cowboys have a number of younger receivers who could make an impact not only this season (Hurd and Ogletree) but perhaps next season as well (Manny Johnson and Jesse Holley). Jerry Jones over the past few years has made it a point to release or trade "progress stoppers" as the Cowboys fight to stay youthful and talented from season to season.

There's also rumblings that the Cowboys just flat out didn't like Crayton or his attitude. I doubt it was anything that bad but I'm certain there was some annoyance at the things he's said publicly after the Cowboys drafted Dez Bryant.

In the end, this was likely the best decision for all parties involved. I know I was upset about a trade last week but based on what's been said and the team he was traded to, you have to think that for the Cowboys and Crayton this was the best case scenario. The Cowboys did their long-time receiver a service and Crayton went to a team that not only needed him, but is a team that has a great shot at the Super Bowl themselves.

Examiner Dallas Edition Articles

jeraldblack — 2010-09-06 22:32:00 GMT

It's just after dusk and your 85-year-old mom, who's battling Alzheimer's, just called all frazzled and angry because you didn't finish your homework, your deceased dad hadn't made it home from his poker game and Jerry Jones just fired Tom Landry for some sun-fried college coach. No, you're not dreaming or crazy, but it's possible that your mom is suffering from Sundown syndrome. Sundowning usually occurs in Alzheimer's and dementia sufferers in the late afternoon or in the evening. About 45 percent of Alzheimer patients experience increased...

Tee to Green

RLP — 2010-09-06 20:25:00 GMT

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On this day....

1913 - Jerry Travers wins USGA U.S. Men’s Amateur Championship.
1959 - Kathy Cornelius wins LPGA Tour Cosmopolitan Open; first-place money - $997.

1981 - Joanne Carner wins LPGA Tour Rail Charity Classic; first-place money - $18,750.
1981 - Jay Haas wins PGA Tour B.C. Open; first-place money - $49,500.
1987 - Rosie Jones wins LPGA Tour Rail Charity Classic; first-place money - $30,000.
1987 - Joey Sindelar wins PGA Tour B.C. Open; first-place money - $72,000.
1987 - Bruce Crampton wins Senior PGA Tour Vantage presents Bank One Senior Golf Classic’ first-place money - $33,750.

1992 - Nancy Lopez wins LPGA Tour Rail Charity Classic; first-place money - $67,500.
1992 - Richard Zokol wins PGA Tour Greater Milwaukee Open; first-place money - $180,000.
1992 - Gibby Gilbert wins Senior PGA Tour First of America Classic; first-place money - $60,000.
1998 - Danielle Ammaccapane wins LPGA Tour Safeway LPGA Championship; first-place money - $90,000.

1998 - Jeff Sluman wins PGA Tour Greater Milwaukee Open; first-place money - $324,000.
1998 - Dana Quigley wins Senior PGA Tour Emerald Coast Classic.
2004 - Vijay Singh wins PGA Tour Deutsche Bank Championship; first-place money - $900,000.
2009 - Suzann Pettersen wins LPGA Tour CN Canadian Women’s Open at Priddis Greens; first-place money - $412,500.
2009 - Jeff Sluman wins PGA Champions Tour Walmart First Tee Open at Pebble Beach; first-place money - $315,000.

2010 – xxxx wins PGA Tour Deustche Bank Championship (FedEx Cup playoffs 2^nd round); first-place money –

Birthdays....

Pam Allen (54) of Billings, Montana; former LPGA Tour member.

Bleacher Report - Front Page

Chris J. Nelson — 2010-09-06 19:46:20 GMT

Now five years removed from coaching the Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins' Vice President of Football Operations Bill Parcells continues to add familiar faces to his current squad.

This time, it's former Cowboys inside linebacker Bobby Carpenter, who played four seasons in Dallas after being selected 18th overall out of Ohio State in 2006. He was traded to the St. Louis Rams for offensive tackle Alex Barron in May, but released by the Rams on Saturday.

Carpenter was signed to the active roster and was practicing with the team Monday, sporting Erik Walden's old No. 50. The Dolphins terminated the contract of linebacker Charlie Anderson to make room for Carpenter on the roster.

Carpenter provides veteran depth at inside linebacker with Channing Crowder suffering from a mysterious injury, while Anderson's release clears $2.2 million in salary off the books in 2010.

The Dolphins' active roster currently stands at a full 53 players, with one spot still open on the eight-man practice squad.

Bobby Carpenter

The son of former NFL running back Rob Carpenter, Bobby was a star linebacker at Ohio State alongside future top five NFL draft pick A. J. Hawk (Packers) and earned All-Big Ten honors his final two seasons with the Buckeyes.

Parcells drafted Carpenter 18th overall in the 2006 NFL Draft, converting him to inside linebacker in the Cowboys' 3-4 defensive scheme.

Originally regarded as a smart, high-motor, hard-hitting linebacker coming out of college, Carpenter developed a reputation for being soft in the pros, nicknamed "Barbie" by his own teammates, criticized for not being physical enough by his linebackers coach, and called a "finesse guy" by owner Jerry Jones.

Needless to say, Carpenter never lived up to his draft status in Dallas, playing only one season under Parcells before the coach retired and setting up a permanent shop in the new staff's doghouse.

In 58 games over four seasons with the Cowboys, Carpenter started just three games and totaled 96 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and two pass deflections.

Carpenter was swapped to the Rams in May for another first-round bust in offensive tackle Alex Barron. He totaled 11 tackles, a sack, an interception, and two pass deflections in four preseason games with the Rams, but was released during final cuts.

In Miami, Carpenter joins fellow 2006 first-round bust Jason Allen, who was selected by the Dolphins just two spots before the Cowboys took Carpenter.

Analysis

It isn't surprising to see Anderson released at this point. He was due a pretty significant chunk of salary for a player project to be a fourth inside linebacker, and was simply at the point in his career where he had shown he wasn't going to develop into much more than he already was.

His release bodes well for Quentin Moses, who should be able to hang onto a roster spot as the only real experience backup outside linebacker on the roster.

Meanwhile, there isn't much to get excited about here, as Carpenter has been a huge disappointment as a pro. He offers little against the run and has pretty much proved he is not starting material in the NFL.

That being said, the one quality he does offer is solid coverage skills, which happens to be an area Channing Crowder is lacking. The Dolphins were hoping rookie fourth-rounder A. J. Edds could take over some of those responsibilities before he was lost for the season to a torn ACL.

Signing Carpenter isn't a bad move for the Dolphins. It likely came at a very cheap price, and it provides an experience NFL body to serve as the fourth inside linebacker, or third if Crowder is unavailable.

As impressive as undrafted rookie Micah Johnson was in the preseason, he's not ready for a role on defense and doesn't have the athleticism to contribute right now.

Given his NFL experience and familiarity with the Dolphins' staff, don't be surprised to see him active against Buffalo if Crowder is a no-go.

As always, check out the updated projected depth chart reflecting these transactions here.

Discuss this article on the forum here!

Chris J. Nelson majored in journalism at Georgia State University and is currently a programming coordinator for Turner Sports in Atlanta. He operates his own Miami Dolphins website, The Miami Dolphins Spotlight, and he can be followed on Twitter here.

Las Vegas Sun Blogs: 'The Kats Report'

2010-09-06 16:31:00 GMT

Wearing a fruit-topped costume seemingly harvested from the Carmen Miranda Collection, Charo has taken the stage. Time for the coochie-coochie. Everyone in the audience must participate in the number, and have been given plastic maracas.

Just before Charo is introduced, everyone in the audience of 350 in the decked-out South Point showroom cheerfully shakes their maracas.

But one person does not have any maracas. Jerry Lewis sits onstage, maraca-less.

Not for long, though. Debbie Williams surveys the scene and notices the host of the “MDA Labor Day Telethon” is not properly outfitted. She gives the audience a quick once-over, then moves swiftly over to Lewis’ wife, Sam, one person who would not mind surrendering one of her props for the cause. Williams hustles back to Lewis, hands the grateful host a green maraca and backpedals out of the shot.

Just in time.

As the telethon’s stage manager, Debbie Williams is the star you never see. Though the telethon is powered by dozens of on-site staffers, if any individual could be credited with making it go, it would be Williams. She seems constantly solving problems, directing traffic, putting out fires. During breaks, when Lewis’ audio drops or he’s unsure if he’s on the right mark, the call is usually, “Debbie!”

Williams has been with Lewis for 24 years, dating to the days when show was held at Cashman Center. Her first shows were actually the cut-away productions at Caesars Palace’s Circus Maximus showroom. Though she had some experience in the industry in L.A., working with the mostly live, round-the-clock production – and with Lewis – would be the job that changed her life.

“It’s the kind of thing, you look back on it, and it can either make your career or break it,” she said during Sunday’s rehearsals. “If it doesn’t work, you might have a tough time in this business – you couldn’t work with Jerry Lewis. But if you can work with him, if you can show you can work with someone of his stature and demands, it makes all the difference. I was 32 or 33 when this all started, and what it did was instill confidence in me.

“I thought, wow, I can do this.”

As a result, Williams has risen to the top of her field, as a stage director for “American Idol” and “So You Think You Can Dance.” Those two shows are relatively routine assignments compared to the nonstop, unpredictable nature of the telethon, when even Lewis himself is often cut off in mid-speech so the show can remain on-schedule.

“Oh, I’m done?” Lewis said as he was cut short during a bit where he was wearing a prop reading “Jerry’s Bib” and dribbling water down his front. “That’s probably just as well!”

At this writing, Williams has been working the telethon for more than 15 unbroken hours. Even in the hurricane of activity, with acts as diverse as “Viva Elvis!’ sharing the stage with, well, Charo, her attention remains on Lewis.

Her loyalty and affection is extraordinary, especially when considering Lewis is at once highly demanding and often unpredictable in his directives.

“I think what he likes about me, more than anything, is I know how to have run,” Williams said. “It’s hard work, but it’s fun work. If you have worked for Jerry Lewis, you can handle anyone.”

There is a term used today for the biggest stars, which is how Williams describes Lewis in his heyday.

“He was a real rock star,” she says. “He still is.”

Notes from Sunday night’s broadcast:

About five minutes before the show, the audience was instructed to give Lewis a “warm” reception upon introduction. Someone in the crowd might not have thought to do that. … Longtime MDA board member Sue Lowden was in the audience during the first three hours. … Lewis heaped praise on the cast members of “Viva Elvis!” after their dazzling performance to “Blue Suede Shoes.” “Screamingly magnificent,” is how he described the Cirque du Soleil operation, and even appeared on-camera with the dancers to praise their characteristically tireless work ethic. Cirque officials and performers were, shall we say, aware of Lewis’ comments earlier in the week criticizing the troupe, but those around Lewis said he spoke off-handedly and has a great deal of respect for Cirque. Whatever, it was a memorable moment as vintage Vegas shared the stage with the city’s new order of entertainment. … Lewis laughed hard at comics John Pinette and George Wallace. He’s still a big fan of good stand-ups. … Sitting in the wings, waiting his turn to go on, was Richard Belzer. His fixated grin showed reverence for the show’s star. Documentary filmmaker Gregg Barson, working on a Lewis biographical project due out in the spring, noted the “eclectic” collection of performers in the show’s green room. At one point, “Idol’s” David Archuleta, Terry Fator, Jack Jones, Norm Crosby, former Frank Sinatra music director Vinnie Falcone and Matt Goss were all present. … I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a kid more thrilled than when MDA National Goodwill Ambassador Abbey Umali met Archuleta, who caused the biggest stir backstage. … Falcone, a longtime friend of, and collaborator with, Robert Goulet, wore a black tie given to him by Goulet’s widow, Vera. … From the stage, Lewis spoke of one of his telethon co-hosts, Tony Orlando, who was emcee of the show in New York. Orlando, Lewis said, weighed 300 pounds two years ago, causing an alarmed Lewis to tell him that if he didn’t drop weight, fast, he would not only risk his career but long-term health. Lewis says Orlando, who for years has appeared on the show, weighs close to 180 now. ... Among Lewis' pre-show visitors to his dressing room: "American Idol" and "So You Think You Can Dance" producer Nigel Lythgoe with Channel 3's Alicia Jacobs. ... The show continues today on KTNV Channel 13, closing at 3:30 p.m.

Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at twitter.com/JohnnyKats.

NFL news

PFW staff — 2010-09-06 16:47:21 GMT

The following quotes are from NFL scouts, coaches and front-office personnel, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

• "The Eagles are going to have a hard time keeping Michael Vick off the football field. (Kevin) Kolb was OK (in the preseason). The other guy is getting it back. He's got his burst back. He looked like the Vick of old. I see why they did not want to get rid of him (after the off-field incident this summer)."

• "The hardest position to fill in free agency is wide receiver. There have been so many bad misses, even when you throw in the trades that have been made. What's really difficult to project is how a receiver is going to adjust to a new offense and how they will be used."

• "What made Bill Belichick's defenses so great 4-to-8 years ago — there were eight guys on those defenses that knew exactly where the ball was going after it was snapped and the offense took one step. That is what made (Tedy) Bruschi and those linemen so good. Ty Law, Otis Smith, Mike Vrabel, Willie McGinest, Rodney Harrison — if you (measured) their physical talent, it was not great. Bruschi was, what — 6-1, 240 and ran a 4.9 — that is not impressive. What is impressive was on 3rd-and-8, when Peyton (Manning) drops to pass and a tight end comes across the field at six yards. Eighty-five percent of the linebackers in this league would jump the crosser in front of them. With New England, it never happened. They just knew where the ball was going. If you took the mental football IQ of those (Patriots) defenses, it was off the charts. It had to be so fun to coach."

• "Teams have done a better job of locking up their own talent. There used to be much better players available in free agency — smart veterans who no longer have what they used to. Now it's getting harder to find those guys because they are getting paid more. You cannot let good players out of the building for nothing."

• "Why should Washington be making the most money when they had to take a loan from the NFL to build their stadium? I could understand why Jerry Jones is upset when he is marketing his (butt) off while Bill Bidwill is not, but there were a lot of owners that built franchises in smaller markets before the game really blew up because they knew and understood the NFL was set up to protect them (in the way of revenue sharing). How long has it been since Washington has fielded a winning football team, and yet they still produce the most revenue? What you have now is a big gap in cash on hand — Cincinnati may have $5 million in the bank while Washington has $35 million. It's getting to be like baseball where the gap keeps getting bigger and bigger. Roger (Goodell) needs to figure out how to close that gap and get 32 owners to agree on it. Jacksonville has had a better team than Washington the past five years, but the amount of money the Redskins have made, compared to Jacksonville, is astronomical. New owners say that is the way it is. Old owners say, 'No, no, no — that is not how the league was set up. We're only as good as the weakest link.' "

• "Take (No.) 18 (Peyton Manning) out of the equation and the Colts are lucky to win four games. They cannot run the ball to save their lives. (GM Bill) Polian put it mildly when he said their line underperformed in the Super Bowl. (The offensive line) is dumpy-bodied and underpowered. They have some skill talent around Manning. Dallas Clark is good. Reggie Wayne can play. Austin Collie is solid for the role they ask him to play. Joseph Addai is good. They have skill talent, but that line is weak at best, and the defense is awful."

For authoritative coverage and analysis of NFL news, free agency and fantasy football, visit ProFootballWeekly.com.

NFL news

darkush@pfwmedia.com (Dan Arkush) — 2010-09-06 16:09:00 GMT

Leading up to the start of the regular season, PFW will post the NFL predictions of its editors/writers, who forecast the order of finish in each division, the outcome of Super Bowl XLV, and Offensive and Defensive MVPs. In the eighth of these predictions, PFW executive editor Dan Arkush looks into his crystal ball.

AFC East

1. N.Y. Jets: After the last episode of "Hard Knocks" ends with star CB Darrelle Revis signing a new deal with a major assist from Rex Ryan, the Jets get off to a fast start and — just like the 2009 "Hard Knocks" Bengals — end up winning a division title.

2. New England: I had major concerns about the defense before it lost Ty Warren. But hungry offense will keep Pats in the hunt.

3. Miami: Brandon Marshall and Karlos Dansby will be fun to watch on offense and defense, respectively. But Dolphins will be lucky if they finish .500.

4. Buffalo: With key players already dropping like flies, Bills look like lock for first pick in draft next season — if there is a season.

AFC North

1. Baltimore: Underrated head coach John Harbaugh should get Ravens into the playoffs for a third straight season. Offense has been upgraded, and defense will somehow find a way to overcome early key injuries in the secondary.

2. Cincinnati: Sorry. Just don't see them being as good as they were last season, but I could be wrong. Will the offense be run-oriented again or more pass-oriented with T.O. on board? I don't even think they know yet.

3. Pittsburgh: It won't matter that Ben Roethlisberger's suspension has been shortened; both the Ravens and Bengals look better than Pittsburgh on both sides of the ball.

4. Cleveland: I've always liked Jake Delhomme, but Browns just don't measure up to competition.

AFC South

1. Indianapolis: Uncertainty on the offensive line scares me, but Peyton Manning is raving over his loaded receiving corps, and healthy Bob Sanders improves an already very solid defense.

2. Houston: Texans were my long-shot pick to click last year. I smell a playoff berth, even though they have a really tough schedule and have lost good-looking rookie RB Ben Tate.

3. Tennessee: Defense has lost a lot of leadership (DE Kyle Vanden Bosch, LB Keith Bulluck). So, .500 sounds about right, without last season's wild fluctuations.

4. Jacksonville: Too many questions on defense, especially the pass rush. Jack Del Rio could be the first head coach to walk the plank in 2010.

AFC West

1. San Diego: I have a lot of concerns about them, but they are still the best team by far in what looks like a pretty weak division. Ryan Mathews is my pick for top rookie.

2. Kansas City: Watch out for "Patriots Midwest." The Jamaal Charles-Thomas Jones running game just might spearhead a surprise playoff run.

3. Oakland: On the right track with Jason Campbell under center, but problems up front on both sides of the ball will weigh Raiders down.

4. Denver: I'm a big Kyle Orton believer, but I wonder about his weapons. As for the defense, losing Elvis Dumervil was a devastating blow.

NFC East

1. Dallas: Most talented team in the league sails into the playoffs — but not quite far enough for Jerry Jones' liking.

2. Philadelphia: The Eagles have done nothing to show me that Dallas won't have their number again when it counts most, as was the case last year.

3. Washington: Mike Shanahan will shake things up for the better, but not nearly enough. Albert Haynesworth looks like he could be a season-long headache.

4. N.Y. Giants: I still haven't gotten over how huge a disappointment the Giants turned out to be last year after a blazing 5-0 start. Tom Coughlin could be nearing the end of the line.

NFC North

1. Green Bay: With Aaron Rodgers continuing to masterfully direct a loaded offense, and Dom Capers making whatever defensive adjustments are necessary, the Packers could be packing a Super Bowl punch.

2. Minnesota: Strong front lines keep Vikings in the hunt, but I just don't see Brett Favre doing anywhere near as well as he did last season. Last year the Vikes swept Packers. This year, a sweep by the Pack will be Minnesota's ultimate undoing.

3. Chicago: Mike Martz will liven up milquetoast offense, and Julius Peppers will improve pass rush, but the Packers and Vikings both look a lot better than the Bears, who will be very lucky to win nine games.

4. Detroit: Lions could be the most improved team in the league in 2010, but I see six wins tops.

NFC South

1. Carolina: Hooked on a feeling. The NFC South top dog changes every year, and John Fox is a great coach when his back is against the wall. Lack of receivers, aside from Steve Smith, and loss of Julius Peppers present big challenge, though.

2. New Orleans: Offense should again sparkle enough to make Saints a playoff factor, but I doubt the defense will be nearly as opportunistic as it was last season.

3. Atlanta: There are a lot of things I like about the Falcons, but I like a lot more things about the Panthers and Saints.

4. Tampa Bay: Abundance of youth will not be served any time soon. I still think Raheem Morris is in over his head.

NFC West

1. San Francisco: Strong defense and just enough offense enable Niners to dethrone Cardinals, but it won't be easy.

2. Arizona: Ken Whisenhunt will make sure the Cardinals remain competitive, but they just lost too many horses on both sides of the ball this offseason, especially on defense.

3. Seattle: Pete Carroll has added a lot of energy, but offensive line is on shaky ground with Russell Okung getting injured, and the lack of a decent pass rush looks like it could again be a big problem.

4. St. Louis: Sam Bradford will not disappoint. But lack of established weapons aside from Steven Jackson and concerns at defensive tackle and cornerback on defense keep Rams in NFC West cellar, with a few more wins than in '09.

Offensive MVP: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay

Defensive MVP: Patrick Willis, San Francisco

Super Bowl XLV: Green Bay over Baltimore

For authoritative coverage and analysis of NFL news, free agency and fantasy football, visit ProFootballWeekly.com.

chron.com Sports

2010-09-06 05:30:00 GMT

Jerry Jones has made no secret of his desire for the Dallas Cowboys to become the first host team to play in the Super Bowl.

Rock-N-Roll News

2010-09-06 02:32:40 GMT

Jim Jones Revue are, by their own admission, a bunch of untamed hell-raisers. They hark back to a bad-boy rock - n' roll with Jerry Lee Lewis inspired pianos and crunching guitar riffs.

Bleacher Report - Front Page

Jason Henry — 2010-09-05 21:45:04 GMT

There is an old saying that states the National Football League stands for Not For Long.

The saying rang especially true this past Saturday as hundreds of NFL players had their dreams dashed as teams cut their rosters down to 53 players.

There were cuts of note, such as the Arizona Cardinals letting go of former Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart and the Seattle Seahawks parting ways with $40 million dollar man T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

Not even having a big name or a large contract will not save you on cut down day.

The Dallas Cowboys also made a splash over the weekend, when Wide receiver Patrick Crayton was traded to the San Diego Chargers for undisclosed considerations. Basically the Chargers got Crayton for cheap.

Maybe they gave the 'Boys a box of wine or a pack of chicken flavored hot dogs.

When Dallas drafted Dez Bryant in the 1^st round, Patrick saw the writing on the wall. He requested his trade or release from Dallas so that he may find a place to get a fresh start. Crayton was also in search of more playing time. With the arrival of Mr. Bryant, Patrick was sure to drop off the map in Cowboy town.

In San Diego Crayton will no doubt get his fair share of balls as he’s always been a great route runner and has a pretty decent set of hands. He did well returning punts for the Cowboys last season and was in line to lose that job as well if he stayed.

San Diego is also still without star wide receiver Vincent Jackson. Vincent states that he’s well prepared to sit out the first 10 games of the season as a holdout if San Diego doesn’t pony up the greenbacks. With Jackson missing from the line-up quarterback Phillip Rivers is without one of his biggest playmakers. While it’s doubtful that Crayton will fill Jackson’s void in the Charger offense, he will at least provide the team with another weapon.

The Cowboys now plan to increase second year WR Kevin Ogletree's role in the offense. Ogletree is a big target with a huge upside, plus he comes cheaper than Crayton.

By trading Patrick to San Diego the Cowboys saved an estimated $2 million dollars.

Dallas seems well off in the receiver department with Miles Austin, Roy Williams, Dez Bryant, Kevin Ogletree, and Sam Hurd. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones just has to hope that everyone stays healthy and over a 16 game NFL season, that’s nearly impossible.

As far as cuts, Dallas didn’t make any waves.

They let go of cornerbacks Jamar Wall, Teddy Williams, Bryan McCann, and Cletis Gordon. The biggest surprise out of the four was probably the release of Gordon. According to ESPN.com’s Matt Mosley, Gordon had at least 10 interceptions in training camp. But he had a lackluster preseason and that was undoing in the end.

If there were any surprises about these cuts it’s that the Cowboys will enter the season with only three true cornerbacks in Terrance Newman, Mike Jenkins, and Orlando Scandrick. Alan Ball is a converted safety, so if the Cowboys are desperate they can always move him back to his original position.

With concerns coming into the season regarding cornerback depth, why would Dallas make such a drastic move in the secondary that possibly handicaps them? Is there faith that the oft injured Newman will stay healthy or that Jenkins will avoid the injury bug this season?

I’m sure the Cowboys will either sign one of the players they cut or scan the waiver wire for a serviceable secondary man to add depth. But with so many preseason injuries, why not keep Gordon or Wall as insurance?

Heading into the season opener against the Redskins the Cowboys seem to have more roster concerns than anything. If there are continued injuries on the offensive line is there enough depth to at least hold a patchwork line together? Will the tight end position be ok since the team decided to let go of Scott Sicko, DajLeon Farr, and Martin Rucker?

If the offensive line plays down, the secondary sees injuries, and the tight end set of Witten and Bennett get nicked up then the Cowboys may be in a little trouble.

But what team isn’t when their star players get injured?

You can catch Jason's radio show, Monday Night Quarterback, every Monday night at 8pm ET on www.blogtalkradio.com/cowboyjay. Join him this Monday as he welcomes ESPN Radio's Jason Smith from the program "All Night" with Jason Smith.

Follow him on twitter @THenProject

Tee to Green

RLP — 2010-09-05 21:39:00 GMT

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On this day....

1925 - Bobby Jones wins USGA U.S. Men’s Amateur Championship.
1976 - Sandra Palmer wins LPGA Tour Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Classic; first-place money - $15,000.
1976 - Jack Nicklaus wins PGA Tour World Series of Golf.; first-place money - $100,000.

1982 - Joanne Carner wins LPGA Tour Rail Charity Classic; first-place money - $18,750.
1982 - Jay Sigel wins USGA U.S. Men’s Amateur Championship.
1982 - Calvin Peete wins PGA Tour B.C. Open; first-place money - $49,500.
1993 - Helen Dobson wins LPGA Tour State Farm Rail Classic; first-place money - $75,000.
1993 - Billy Mayfair wins PGA Tour Greater Milwaukee Open; first-place money - $180,000.

1993 - Bob Charles wins Senior PGA Tour Quicksilver Classic; first-place money - $157,500.

1999 - Mi Hyun Kim wins LPGA Tour State Farm Rail Classic; first-place money - $116,250.
1999 - Mike Weir wins PGA Tour Air Canada Championship; first-place money - $450,000.

1999 - Allen Doyle wins Senior PGA Tour TD Waterhouse Championship; first-place money - $180,000.
2005 - Olin Browne wins PGA Tour Deutsche Bank Championship; $990,000.
2010 - XXXX wins PGA Nationwide Tour Mylan Classic; first-place money - $108,000.

2010 - XXXX wins PGA Champions Tour Home Care & Hospice First Tee Open at Pebble Beach; first-place money - $315,000.

2010 - Miguel Angel Jimenez wins European Tour Omega European Masters; first-place money - $333,330.

Birthdays….

John Elliot (47) of Bristol, Connecticut; for Nationwide (Nike) Tour member; won 1994 Nike Mississippi Gulf Coast Championship.
Tom Pernice Jr. (51) of Murrieta, California; two-time winner on PGA Tour; joined PGA Champions Tour in 2009.

Know Your Dallas Cowboys: The Blog

Matt Cordon — 2010-09-05 19:32:07 GMT

Jerry Jones hired Chan Gailey to take over as the Cowboys' head coach in 1998, then decided to pass on a receiver from Marshall to take North Carolina defensive end Greg Ellis in the first round of the draft.

Bleacher Report - Front Page

Gene Strother — 2010-09-05 15:15:39 GMT

The Patrick Crayton trade was a good deal for all involved.

It was a good deal for Crayton because as a 30-year-old receiver with middle-of-the-road skills, the market for his services was not great. Every team in the NFL has a Crayton or two on it. Most of them are a little younger and earn less money than Patrick.

Jerry and Stephen Jones did Crayton a massive favor, and showed their appreciation for his services by finding him a place where he can play on a contending team with a top-flight quarterback in need of a dependable receiver. A more perfect scenario for the lately disgruntled receiver is hard to imagine.

It was a good deal for the Chargers because they got good value for their money. Where the Cowboys are deep, the Chargers are not. Norv Turner and Phillip Rivers needed a receiver they could count on to make solid plays at crucial times. Patrick Crayton is just such a receiver. While the Cowboys would consider Crayton overpaid for what he brings to the table, the Chargers shouldn't.

Moreover, San Diego only had to give up a seventh-round pick to get him.

It was a good deal for the Cowboys because they had to do something. The handwriting was on the locker room wall. The arrival of Dez Bryant pushed Crayton another notch down the depth chart. A couple million bucks for a third receiver is not a bad deal. For a fourth receiver, it is a bit much...especially when the Cowboys think they have other less expensive, equally viable options, such as Kevin Ogletree.

It was also good for team chemistry. Since the departure of Terrell Owens, the Cowboys' locker room has been as harmonious as a nunnery. Team spirit has been high. Camaraderie has been noticeable. Excuse-making has mostly been reduced to the office of the head coach, and even he sometimes owns mistakes and admits there might be room for improvement. Finger-pointing has been relegated to the lunchroom buffet line.

Patrick's frame of mind wasn't likely to improve when he started the season on the sideline with his chin strap undone while a punk kid and an underachieving Roy Williams filled up the available wide receiver space on the field. Chances are, if he could find some discord, he would sow it until he forced the organization to do something about him.

Crayton did some nice things while with the Cowboys. He was a good player for them. But he was mostly just a guy, seldom a game-changer. And now he is a guy for the San Diego Chargers.

And everyone should be happy with that.

Defending the Star - Dallas Cowboys Fan Blog

romo2witten (defendingthestar@yahoo.com) — 2010-09-05 11:13:00 GMT

The Cowboys only kept three full time cornerbacks on the final roster. Wow! That seems like a dangerous move when you consider what would happen with just one minor injury to Terence Newman, Orlando Scandrick or Mike Jenkins. I know Alan Ball, Akwasi Owusu-Ansah and Danny McCray can all fill in at cornerback but it seems like a dangerous move to count on those guys if a long term injury happens to any of the top three cornerbacks. I have a feeling the Cowboys might be scouring the roster cuts around the league for a better 4th cornerback option.

Junior Siavii didn't make the final roster either. This move isn't shocking but I didn't think the coaches had seen enough from Josh Brent or Sean Lissemore to justify cutting Siavii. I like the fact that the coaches are going younger where they can on the roster but, just like with the cornerback situation, it makes me a little nervous to think where the team will be if Ratliff goes down with a long term injury.

Sam Hurd made it through the cuts. I like the fact that the team kept him around. His play on special teams is obviously why he stayed over Patrick Crayton. I don't think Hurd is the same player at receiver that Crayton was but I do think Hurd brings a lot more to the table on special teams.

Kevin Ogletree managed to stick on the final roster as well. I was not impressed with him at all early in the preseason but the last two games probably saved him. He started playing more like the guy who made several big plays late in the season last year as the preseason drew to a close. I think the potential of Ogletree at receiver played a big part in Patrick Crayton being traded to San Diego.

The Patrick Crayton trade was a little surprising but certainly not shocking. With Crayton set to be stuck on the bench on offense and probably even losing his punt return role it didn't make a lot of sense to keep him around. Although some of Crayton's complaints were legitimate, the Cowboys didn't need a guy around who wasn't happy to be there and was vocal about it.

Seeing that Bobby Carpenter was cut by the Rams made me sad and happy at the same time. It is sad because he always seemed like a good guy who worked hard and really wanted to get better. But, at the same time, it really justified the move the Cowboys made to trade him. The Cowboys are often criticized for the trades they make but I think Jerry Jones and the rest of the front office deserve a big pat on the back for essentially stealing a valuable backup swing tackle from the Rams. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Carpenter ends up with the Dolphins to be reunited with Bill Parcells.

Bleacher Report - Front Page

Todd Boldizsar — 2010-09-05 08:44:30 GMT

On perhaps the biggest stage of Saturday's Week 1 games, Oregon State showed Jerry Jones and the rest of the nation why they deserved to be on the same field with the nation's elite.

While TCU collected the victory 30-21, the Beavers passing game was unpolished but showed signs of future dominance. Sophomore quarterback Ryan Katz only connected on nine of his 25 pass attempts, showing his inexperience. However, he was able to connect on deep passes downfield to wide receivers James Rodgers and Jordan Bishop.

Although misfiring on several occasions, Katz was not intercepted through the air. His passes looked sharp and crisp, and his quick release allowed more time in the pocket while looking downfield. The young quarterback's misses were not solely to blame for OSU's demise in the Cowboy Classic.

Many viewers of the game are perplexed by the lack of touches running back Jacquizz Rodgers received in the game. Head coach Mike Riley seemed to give up on the running game too soon, likely with the notion that TCU was keying on the Beavs' ground game.

Relying on Katz was projected as a sore spot, and the prediction held up. The Horned Frogs returned one of the best starting defenses in the country this season. Their 4-1-6 style of defense is fast and swarming, but it has its weak spots against smashmouth rushing. Rodgers is a small back, and makes his living on the ground with shifty moves and sweeps to the outside.

Oregon State's style of offense simply didn't match up well with TCU's defense, and when the running game returned mixed results, Riley and the Beavers looked to the passing game. Katz simply wasn't ready for this game, but showed enormous potential.

For the TCU Horned Frogs, they move forward with a new resource: The video of this game. If not for senior quarterback Andy Dalton's ability to scramble out of the pocket to make something happen, the outcome of this game could have been very different.

On the positive side for the Frogs, the running tandem of Ed Wesley and Matthew Turner combined for over 200 rush yards, with Wesley claiming 134 of those yards on 17 carries. TCU discovered the weakness in Oregon State's defense, the linebackers. The defensive line, led by Stephen Paea, had some success pressuring Dalton, but once the running game got passed the line, there was no one to provide assistance, and it showed.

Going forward, OSU should focus offensively on timing in the passing game, as the main cause of Katz's inaccuracy appeared to be mis-communication with receivers. On defense, backs and linebackers will need to step up their reads on the ground and move more quickly to the ball when the linemen fail.

The Beavers will now have two weeks to prepare for the Louisville Cardinals, their home opener on September 18 at 2:30 pm PST. Louisville lost a close game to the Kentucky Wildcats, and looked much improved over last season's sub-par campaign.

Oregon State will likely be out of the top 25 when the rankings are released at the top of next week. Look for the Beavs to be impressive, and watch how Katz has learned from the TCU tape.

Bleacher Report - Front Page

Double D — 2010-09-04 21:42:16 GMT

After one of the most boring offseason in years, it's finally just a few days till the season opener. Donovan McNabb being traded to the Redskins, Terrell Owens signing with the Bengals, and a number of big-name holdouts headline this offseason. Oh yeah, and Brett Favre took over ESPN waiting till mid-August to make his decision to return again.

In this first edition of NFL Power Rankings a quick statement will be given about each team's offseason and/or season preview.

Warning: Your team may be made fun of. If you can't take it: tough.

1. New Orleans Saints – Offensive weapons Lance Moore, Reggie Bush, and Jeremy Shockey missed a total of 14 games due to injury last season and Drew Brees still led the league in touchdown tosses. One word: terrifying.

2. Indianapolis Colts – Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Pierre Garcon, Austin Collie, and Anthony Gonzalez make up the deepest receiving core in the league for Peyton Manning. Don’t expect any kind of offensive drop off in 2010.

3. Minnesota Vikings – The Vikings were the most talented team in the league last season, but like in the past, couldn’t make it to the big dance. They could very easily become the team to beat again with the return of Brett Favre and a five month prescription for Adrian Peterson’s fumblitis.

4. Baltimore Ravens – When Joe Flacco was in need of some serious offensive firepower, they traded for Anquan Boldin, and drafted Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta. When the defense needed an injection of youth, they drafted Sergio Kindle, Terrance Cody, and Arthur Jones. Can you say perfect offseason?

5. New York Jets – The additions of Antonio Cromartie, Santonio Holmes, LaDainian Tomlinson, and Jason Taylor headline their offseason, but the return of All-Pro nose tackle Kris Jenkins and another year of experience for Mark Sanchez take this team to another level. The championship quest could all be for not if Revis Island is taken off the map.

6. Green Bay Packers – Aaron Rodgers finally has a franchise left tackle to protect his blind side. Al Harris is back to form one of the best cornerback tandems in the league with Charles Woodson. The Packers are a top Super Bowl contender.

7. Dallas Cowboys – Jerry Jones believes he drafted Randy Moss v2 in Dez Bryant. In a stacked NFC East, this team is the most stacked. Anything less than a Super Bowl victory for the Cowboys is a huge disappointment with February home field advantage.

8. New England Patriots – The Pats who won their division title six out of the last seven years will have to battle to maintain dominance with the Jets star-studded roster. Wes Welker obviously isn’t ready to give up AFC East supremacy as he will most likely start week one after tearing his ACL late in 2009.

9. San Diego Chargers – LaDainian Tomlinson out, Ryan Matthews in. Philip Rivers only big-name down field weapon will be Antonio Gates if Vincent Jackson is traded. Will Malcom Floyd, Legedu Naanee, and now Patrick Crayton be enough if that’s the case?

10. Houston Texans – This could be the Texans' year. How many times have you heard that before? They have plenty of big names, but that last playoff spot has managed to elude them without fail. As long as Matt Schaub can stay on his feet they have a great chance to be playing in January.

11. Philadelphia Eagles – If your rivals can’t defeat you, give them your franchise quarterback and tell them to try again. In all seriousness, losing long time team leaders Brian Dawkins, Donovan McNabb, and Brian Westbrook in just two years can’t be good for the young locker room.

12. New York Giants – It’s crazy how they went from a beastly running team with no receivers to a having three solid receivers with a shaky running game. Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks, and Mario Manningham form one of the best receiving trio’s in the league.

13. Pittsburgh Steelers – Trading the team’s number one wide receiver for pennies and the suspension of the franchise quarterback is most likely not what Mike Tomlin had in mind entering the offseason. It wouldn’t be as bad if two division rivals weren’t quickly on the rise.

14. Tennessee Titans – Chris Johnson is the definition of explosive and Vince Young looks more composed in the pocket than ever, but if the Titans don’t fix their secondary, they won’t stand a chance against high flying offenses in the Cowboys, Chargers, and the Colts and Texans twice each.

15. Cincinnati Bengals – The whole thug nation creation is hilarious and a major head-shaker at the same time, but if the Bangles hit big on each of their gambles they could be title contenders. If nothing else, Ochocinco and T.O. should provide some amazing touchdown celebrations.

16. San Francisco 49ers – With Arizona depleted, and Seattle and St. Louis rebuilding, it’s finally the year the 49ers return to the playoffs. A head coach’s demeanor rubs off on his players, and Mike Singletary has the mindset and focus of a winner.

17. Carolina Panthers – The last Smash and Dash left standing; DeAngelo Williams and Johnathan Stewart form the best backfield duo in the league. Don’t tell Steve Smith the Panthers have a running offense as he is primed for a break out year. Smith has 378 receiving yards and three touchdowns in the final four games in which Matt Moore was the starting quarterback.

18. Miami Dolphins – They finally have a good receiving core after trading for Brandon Marshall and trading away Ted Ginn. The addition of Karlos Dansby and the development of Vontae Davis and Sean Smith should solidify the defense. Minus the Bills, the AFC East is one the rise.

19. Atlanta Falcons – Matt Ryan’s third year in the league must be a breakout one if the Falcons wish to earn one of the NFC’s coveted Wild Card spots. Michael Turner at full health will help open up opposing secondary’s for Ryan. Their defense has been less than stellar in the past, but the front office has really added talent to that side of the ball the last two off seasons.

20. Washington Redskins – Larry Johnson, Clinton Portis, and Willie Parker make up the Washed-up Redskins running back core in 2010. The brilliant trade for Donovan McNabb makes the Redskins better and the Eagles worse. The biggest question mark is how Albert Haynesworth and friends, if you can call them that, and if Haynes worth even starts, can adjust to playing in a 3-4 defense.

21. Jacksonville Jaguars – Hold on, I’m still trying to catch my breath over laughing my head off over their draft class. TYSON ALUALA! Talk about pulling an Al Davis. Speaking of Al Davis, if the Jaguars don’t start selling tickets they’ll be Davis’s new neighbors in Los Angeles.

22. Arizona Cardinals – When your future Hall of Fame quarterback, and the heart and soul of the offense and defense leave in one offseason, somebody better step up. Saying Kurt Warner, Anquan Boldin, and Karlos Dansby will be missed this season is a massive understatement.

23. Oakland Raiders - All of a sudden the joke of the NFL has a quarterback that can get the ball to all its track stars. The defense isn’t looking too bad either. Second place in the AFC West is theirs to lose.

24. Chicago Bears – They may possess the most explosive trio of receivers in the league in Johnny Knox, Devin Aromashodu, and Devin Hester. If those three improve and Matt Forte can produce even remotely close to his 2008 campaign, the Bears offensive could be good. The return of Brian Urlacher doesn’t hurt either.

25. Denver Broncos – A team that finished the season on a 2-8 collapse traded away reception machine Brandon Marshall, and lost all-world pass rusher Elvis Dumervil for the season to injury. For the offense to absorb the blow and bounce back, Knowshon Moreno must have a breakout season, or Tim Tebow….never mind.

26. Detroit Lions – They are just one or two years away from being legit contenders. Yes, those 0-16 Lions have some serious potential. Matt Stafford to Calvin Johnson could be a top quarterback-receiver combo for the next decade.

27. Kansas City Chiefs – They selected the most talented player in the draft in Eric Berry who will be a top center field safety for a long time. The offense has potential to be explosive with Jamal Charles and Dexter McCluster.

28. Seattle Seahawks – Russell Okung, Earl Thomas, and Golden Tate were part of the league’s best draft class, but Seattle doesn’t have the talent to compete for a playoff spot just yet. Taylor Mays will have two chances to take out everyone on Seattle’s offense as revenge against Pete Carroll.

29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – The Bucs added a ton of talent to their interior defensive line and receiving core through this year’s draft. Look for Sean Jones to be one of the steals of free agency as he recorded 14 interceptions in his three years prior to a down year in Philadelphia.

30. St. Louis Rams – Poor Sam Bradford. Hopefully he can survive this season with a beaten up offensive line and no one even close to resembling a number one receiver. If he can for just one year without his confidence or body being crushed there are four superstar receivers in next year’s draft.

31. Cleveland Browns – Guess who’s paying a 35 year old quarterback who threw eight touchdowns to eighteen interceptions last season seven million dollars this year? Jake Delhomme is a thief. Talk about money management, and the team’s best player Josh Cribbs had to practically demand a trade to get paid.

32. Buffalo Bills – C.J. Spiller better not only be the offenses one bright spot, but become a human highlight reel if he prefers the city off Buffalo to Toronto. If not, he can just take the season off and watch the front office’s decision to not upgrade the quarterback position backfire in their faces.

Bleacher Report - Front Page

Jesse Yomtov — 2010-09-04 23:21:39 GMT

Featured Columnist Jesse Yomtov here, live blogging the Oregon State-TCU game. The #6 Horned Frogs take on the #24 Beavers at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, where we'll get to see how national title contender TCU fares against big time competition, and whether or not OSU is a force to be reckoned with in the Pac-10.

Join me for the next three hours or so, while I talk everything from Xs and Os, to Jerry Jones' reconstructed face, to whatever else comes up.

__________________________________________________________________

11:00 p.m. E.T.- Well folks, that's about it, Unfortunately, we only had one Jerry Jones sighting. Fortunately, ESPN eventually realized that nobody wanted to see Holly Rowe's cleavage. I'm going to go enjoy my pulled pork that's been cooking for the last 11 hours! Thanks for following along, I had a great time.

10:56 p.m. E.T.- I feel for the Beavers. They played their hearts out and kept level with one of the top teams in the country for 3.75 quarters. I definitely think they can keep pace in the Pac-10. Quizz needs to get going, and they're going to need way more consistent play from Katz who looked lost for a lot of the night.

10:51 p.m. E.T- And that's the game. TCU wins it 30-21. Horned Frogs' defense came up big all night, limiting Jacquizz Rodgers to 4.2 y/c. TCU racks up 278 yards on the ground. Their whole backfield gets my game ball. They ran the option to perfection, shredding apart the OSU defense particularly on third down, going 11 for 17 on conversions.

10:48 p.m. E.T.- I can't even imagine how frustrated the Beavers have got to be. Had the opportunity to take it down the field and tie it up but one quick hiccup results in their season being tarnished. Inside of a minute to go now.

10:45 p.m. E.T.- Goodness gracious, what a swing. With the penalty, OSU was backed up even further for the free kick and TCU takes the return into opposing territory. A first down run by Wesley moves the chains again, TCU inside OSU's 30.

10:42 p.m. E.T.-Snap goes over Katz's head!!! He makes the smart play, kicking it through the end zone for the safety. Apparently that's a penalty, but still a wise move by the Oregon State QB. 30-21 in favor of the Horned Frogs with 4:14 to go.

10:37 p.m. E.T.- TCU has 29 first downs, to only 13 for Oregon State. 22 of them on the ground. However, Dalton's pass on third down gets broken up, TCU will punt it away.

10:34 p.m. E.T.- Dalton with another big run on third down, converting yet again. 7:17 to go.

10:30 p.m. E.T.- Draw by Quizz gets the ball 7 yards forward, but Beavers still have to kick it away. Horned Frogs take over with 8:27 to go at their own 16 yard line.

10:26 p.m. E.T.- OSU gets the ball back with 11:13 to go, trailing by a touchdown. Katz goes WAY deep to James Rodgers, but Greg McCoy closes on it well to break it up. Katz is 9/25...

10:18 p.m. E.T.- Katz has all the time in the world, but gets tripped up as he escapes the pocket. OSU punts it away.

10:10 p.m. E.T.- Quizz gets 7 yards on the draw play. He's starting to get going. James follows up with a reverse to move the chains. End of the third. It's showtime, folks. Still only one Jerry Jones sighting. WHERE YOU AT JJ?!

10:08 p.m. E.T.- Gingervitis takes it in by himself for his second rushing TD of the night, both of them on third down. 28-21 Horned Frogs with 59 seconds left in the third.

10:01 p.m. E.T.- Such a back and forth game. After the OSU touchdown, TCU is driving now. Into OSU territory with a 15 yard option, which been working for them all night. Beavers have got to do a better job containing the outside. Wesley over 100 yards on the night.

9:54 p.m. E.T.- After Quizz breaks loose with a 16 yard run down to the 2, he runs it in to tie it at 21. 5:33 to go in the 3rd.

9:51 p.m. E.T.- These Darrelle Revis commercials make me LOL. "If you wear this Nike gear, you'll be unemployed!!!"

9:44 p.m. E.T.- Dalton throws a silly pick on the rollout. Great job jumping the route, but Ginger has gotta read the linebacker better.

9:39 p.m. E.T.- Still can't believe there's only been one Jerry Jones sighting tonight. Bart Johnson makes an awesome catch for the first on the low pass from Gingervitis. Might have hit the ground, but no challenge.

9:34 p.m. E.T.- Second half is underway. ESPN has switched up their camera angle on Holly Rowe so that it's more of a close up on her face rather than her low cut shirt.

9:20 p.m. E.T.- Pulled the pork. Got into a loud debate about how to use a slow cooker. I know I'm right, that you're supposed to put stuff in with the meat initially.........Keys to the second half: TCU needs to keep Quizz in check. Their backers have done a great job bottling him up. Oregon State needs to contain Dalton and the option. Dalton has had all kinds of space to operate, be it scrambling or on the option, so OSU is going to need to at least put a spy on him

9:13 p.m. E.T.- So at the half, TCU leads OSU by a score of 21-14. OSU coach Mike Riley says that they need to get Quizz loose, the obvious statement of the day. Holly Rowe still hasn't buttoned her shirt..... ANYWAYS. I'm welcoming questions, post 'em in the comments if you have! I'm about to check on the pork in the Crock Pot but I'll be back in front of the laptop in 2 minutes.

9:09 p.m. E.T.- Ed Wesley bounces it in from 9 yards out. Big touchdown for TCU to have the lead going into the half. 21-14 with 49 seconds remaining. TCU had to capitalize on their field position there and they certainly did.

9:07 p.m. E.T.- Terrific return by Kerley, TCU starts at OSU's 23 yard line.

9:05 p.m. E.T.- Tank Carder jacks up Aaron Nichols on third down. Nichols down on the field, gets up and wanders off looking disoriented.

9:00 p.m. E.T.- Dalton scrambes on 3rd down, comes up just short. Ref is confused, almost calls illegal block in the back in the defense. Must be a Florida State grad.... Is that mean?

8:53 p.m. E.T.- Beavers forced to punt inside of 6 minutes remaining. TCU's 4-2-5 has kept Quizz completely in check outside of the one 15-yard run. Rodgers only has 23 yards on 8 carries

8:44 p.m. E.T.- Fantastic play action rollout, Dalton throws the 2-yard TD to Jeremy Kerley. 14-14 with 8:32 remaining in the first half... I swear that Dalton has gotten even more ginger since the Fiesta Bowl. Eric Cartman does not approve.

8:42 p.m. E.T.- Dalton is really getting some zip on his passes. As good as he was last year, I don't know if we saw him throw with so much power.

8:32 p.m. E.T.- Fake punt! Johnny Hekker hits Jordan Hoyer. On the next play, Katz goes long to Jordan Bishop for the 34-yard TD. Oregon State leads 14-7 with 11:57 left in the second.

8:29 p.m. E.T.- Now that we've had the JJ sighting, all that remains is when will the pork be ready for pulling. As the delicious smell of BBQ pork intoxicates my nostrils, Jacquizz runs for 15 yards, longest run of the night.

8:25 p.m. E.T.- What could they be chatting about? Bringing an NFL team to LA? #LameEntourageSubPlotJokeForTheWin

8:22 p.m. E.T.- FIRST JERRY JONES SIGHTING. With 42 seconds left in the first quarter, we spy him talking to Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott. End of the first, tied at 7.

8:19 p.m. E.T.- Seriously, where is Jerry Jones? Shooting another ridiculous subplot on Entourage? OSU comes up short on third down then kicker Justin Kahut goes wide left on a 47-yard FG attempt.

8:12 p.m. E.T.- On third down, OSU's Aaron Nichols makes a tremendous diving catch on the sideline. Gets his left leg down inbounds. TCU calls a timeout to check it out, but the catch stands.

8:08 p.m. E.T.- Two story lines to keep an eye on-- 1) When will the pork shoulder which had been in the crock pot since noon, be ready for pulling?, 2) Why haven't we had a Jerry Jones sighting yet?

8:06 p.m. E.T.- On 3rd-and-Goal from the 6, Dalton takes it into the endzone himself out of the 5-wide set. Great read opting to take it outside. Kind of a whack celebration

8:02 p.m. E.T.- The leading active quarterback in wins, Dalton dives forward on 3rd and 5, picking up the first. Good call with the dive as opposed to the slide- shows he's got some cojones. On the next play, Dalton connects with Skye Dawson on a 52-yard strike. Dawson absolutely torched his man.

7:55 p.m. E.T.- Dalton off target, picked off by Beavers safety Lance Mitchell. OSU gets the ball on TCU's 31. Katz finds star wideout James Rodgers wide open across the middle for the 30 yard strike. Oregon State up 7-0.

7:51 p.m. E.T.- TCU's D picking up where they left last year (sans the Boise State game), Wayne Daniels forcing Ryan Katz to fumble. OSU hops on it then fail on 3rd down. OSU punts it away.

7:48 p.m. E.T.- I think some Doritos 3D chips would be ideal to watch this game with. Unfortunately, they're discontinued. Holly Rowe gives her first sideline report of the night. Is her shirt too revealing? Only time will tell.

7:38 p.m. E.T. - Inside of 10 minutes to kickoff. TCU is rocking their new Nike Pro Combat black unis with snakeskin print gray helmets, very cool looking.

7:26 p.m. E.T. - Welcome everyone, I'm eagerly awaiting kickoff 20 minutes from now. Just finished watching Jacksonville State upset Ole Miss, insane double overtime finish in Oxford.

Dallas Cowboys

Todd Archer / Reporter — 2010-09-04 23:03:03 GMT

A quick breakdown of the roster (bold means rookie): QB (3) - Tony Romo, Jon Kitna, Stephen McGee No surprises here. McGee, according to Jerry Jones, was never on the...

NYT > Pro Football

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS — 2010-09-05 00:17:00 GMT

IRVING, Texas (AP) -- The Dallas Cowboys kept four undrafted rookies on their initial 53-man roster Saturday. Maybe having so many bargain-bin finds made it easier for Jerry Jones to swallow the nearly $1.8 million salary of reserve receiver Sam Hurd.

The Seattle Times

2010-09-05 02:16:04 GMT

The Dallas Cowboys kept four undrafted rookies on their initial 53-man roster Saturday. Maybe having so many bargain-bin finds made it easier for Jerry Jones to swallow the nearly $1.8 million salary of reserve receiver Sam Hurd.

Boston.com -- Football news

Jaime Aron, AP Pro Football Writer — 2010-09-05 00:21:30 GMT

Washington Examiner Site Feed

2010-09-05 00:30:16 GMT

Daily Kos

2010-09-05 03:30:05 GMT

Quite a bit of data for a three-day holiday weekend, and most of it isn't pleasing to the eye of those rooting for the Democrats. SurveyUSA is extremely bearish on the Dems out West, and the numbers out of Illinois from the Chicago Tribune aren't much better.

We also have some primary numbers out of New Hampshire, which is less than two weeks from heading to the polls.

All that (and more!) in the weekend edition of the Wrap...

THE U.S. SENATE

CA-Sen: SUSA shows Boxer trailing to Fiorina in Golden State
Even traditionally blue California is thinking about seeing other people, according to a new poll out at the close of the week from SurveyUSA. The poll puts Republican Carly Fiorina at 48%, with Democrat Barbara Boxer at 46%. One of the things causing pain for Boxer--she is only getting 79% of Democrats, while Fiorina has much better cohesion (91% of GOP) on her side.

DE-Sen: Tea Party Express gunning hard for Castle in primary
On the Wrap a while back, I observed that the impact of the Tea Party Express in Delaware (where they are supporting longshot Christine O'Donnell over GOP frontrunner Mike Castle) might be muted by the short timespan running up the primary there on September 14th. Well, if nothing else, the teabagger contingent is going all-in in the brief time that they have. The Express is planning a total of five ads between now and the 14th. Castle, for his part, is also running almost $200K worth of ads in advance of the primary, trying to prevent being Vic Rawl'ed.

IL-Sen: Tribune poll has key Senate campaign all knotted up
It is dead even between Democrat Alexi Giannoulias and Republican Mark Kirk, according to a poll released at the end of the week by the Chicago Tribune. Both Giannoulias and Kirk are sitting on just 34% of the vote, with third-party candidates LeAlan Jones (6%) and Mike Labno (3%) well behind. In a sign of how fluid the electorate is in the Land of Lincoln, nearly a quarter of voters in this high-profile race are still undecided.

NH-Sen: Ayotte leading primary, but not locking it down
According to new polling numbers from GOP pollsters Magellan Research, GOP frontrunner Kelly Ayotte is not running away with the Republican Primary to replace Judd Gregg in the Granite State. The survey has Ayotte at 34%, with Ovide Lamontagne (21%), Bill Binnie (17%), and Jim Bender (13%) chasing her. Ayotte's saving grace may well be that all three of her suitors have remained viable, meaning that any anti-frontrunner vote may be too divided to cost her the lead.

THE U.S. HOUSE

AK-AL: Young holds solid double-digit edge in PPP poll
In addition to being among the first pollsters to hit the McAdams-Miller Senate race, the team at PPP also polled the lightly-surveyed House race between longtime veteran Republican Don Young and Democratic challenger Harry Crawford. PPP sees it as a double-digit lead for Young (55-36). Crawford, a state legislator, was considered a potentially strong recruit for the Democrats, but has struggled to raise cash.

KY-03: Yarmuth up only within the margin, according to SUSA
Only a month or so after a Braun Research poll implied that John Yarmuth was sitting on a very comfortable lead over Todd Lally in the blue-leaning Kentucky 3rd district, SurveyUSA begs to differ. SUSA stakes Yarmuth to just a two point lead (47-45) over Lally.

NH-01: One time GOP frontrunner now trails free-spending challenger
The Republican primary to take on Democratic Rep. Carol Shea-Porter promises to be a hot one, and a new poll out at the close of the week by Cross Target implies that the one-time NRCC star recruit, former Manchester Mayor Frank Guinta, is now trailing a free-spending challenger in the race. The poll (sponsored by the GOP friendly Americans for Prosperity) has self-funder Sean Mahoney at 32% of the vote, with Guinta at 26% of the vote. Rich Ashooh runs third, but well behind the leaders at 10%.

PA-07: GOP winning streak ends as teabagger allowed on ballot
One of the more underreported stories of the 2010 cycle has been the ability of the Republicans to successfully challenge and exclude third-party conservative candidates from ballots all around the country. One place where their efforts proved unsuccessful is in the Pennsylvania 7th, where GOP nominee Pat Meehan will have to contend with teabagger Independent candidate Jim Schneller on the ballot. Meehan's challenge to Schneller's candidacy was denied late in the week by a Commonwealth Court judge. Meehan's camp had argued that the petitions for the third-party candidate came with undue assistance from Democrats.

VA-09: SUSA poll says Boucher still leads, but by a reduced margin
SurveyUSA has some good news for a Democratic candidate. Well...kind of. The newest SUSA poll out of southwestern Virginia gives longtime Democratic Rep. Rick Boucher a double-digit lead over Republican contender Morgan Griffith. If there is any bad news there, it is that the SUSA lead is incrementally smaller than one earlier in the summer. The current lead for Boucher is ten points (50-40).

WA-02: SUSA poll shows incumbent Dem trailing by four
The reasonably close numbers in the Washington 2nd district during the open primary last month has raised GOP hopes of an upset. This new poll from SurveyUSA should bolster those hopes. SUSA has Republican contender John Koster up four on incumbent Democrat Rick Larsen (50-46). The combined Dem total outstripped the GOP total by 53-47 in the late August primary, though Koster narrowly outpolled Larsen individually.

THE GUBERNATORIAL RACES

AK-Gov: PPP gives Parnell a wide lead over Berkowitz
Defying the traditional conventions of PPP as a "Democratic" pollster, they poll Alaska, and have incumbent Republican Governor Sean Parnell doing markedly better against Democratic Ethan Berkowitz than any other pollster (including the House of Ras). PPP has Parnell at 55%, with Berkowitz sitting at 37% of the vote. Unlike many incumbent Governors in both parties, Parnell actually has decent approval ratings (50/36), far better than a certain ex-Governor (Mrs. Palin is sitting at 37/55).

CA-Gov: Whitman up seven, according to new SUSA poll
The folks at SurveyUSA also polled the governor's race, and they echo some other recent polling in showing Meg Whitman opening up a little daylight between her and Democrat Jerry Brown. SUSA puts Whitman at a seven-point edge (47-40) over Brown. While the partisan demographics look legit, there were a couple of eye-openers under the hood: for example, the Democrats are truly dead meat if Meg Whitman is really drawing 32% of the African American vote (pretty small subsample there, though).

IL-Gov: Brady leads by five, according to a new Trib poll
Incumbent Democrat Pat Quinn is not politically dead yet, but it is a sign of general campaign ugliness when one can say that it is progress that the incumbent is down by only five points. The new Chicago Tribune poll puts Republican Bill Brady at 37%, with Quinn at 32% of the vote. Three Independent candidates split 8% of the vote, with a quarter of the vote still waiting to be claimed.

RI-Gov: Chafee grabs another union endorsement in Little Rhody
This is becoming something of a trend, and one has to wonder if the Democratic standard-bearer, Frank Caprio, needs to be a bit concerned about it. Carpenters Local 94, repping over two thousand workers and retirees in-state, endorsed Democrats for November almost exclusively. One key exception: the Governor's race. Former Republican Lincoln Chafee, now running as an Independent, got the nod from the local, less than two weeks after the National Education Association did the same. The other major teachers union in the state, the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals, backed Chafee in July.

THE RAS-A-POLL-OOZA

The House of Ras was more prolific to close the week than they have been in a while. Nevada is more than a little ugly, but if there is one Democrat team Ras-sie is feeling right now, it is rookie Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who is laying waste to the GOP triumvirate in New York.

ID-Gov: Gov. Butch Otter (R) 52%, Keith Allred (R) 36%
MA-Gov: Gov. Deval Patrick (D) 39%, Charlie Baker (R) 34%, Tim Cahill (I) 18%
NV-Gov: Brian Sandoval (R) 58%, Rory Reid (D) 33%
NV-Sen: Sen. Harry Reid (D) 45%, Sharron Angle (R) 45%
NY-Sen: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D) 51%, Bruce Blakeman (R) 32%
NY-Sen: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D) 51%, Joe DioGuardi (R) 31%
NY-Sen: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D) 53%, David Malpass (R) 27%

SB Nation - Indianapolis Colts

John Bena — 2010-09-04 10:34:02 GMT

All Ready! Your 2009 Denver Broncos 53-man Roster(Official) - Mile High Report
This is what the 53-man roster looked like on cut-down day, 2009

Broncos lose Dumervil for entire season - The Denver Post
In the short time left for the Broncos to trim their roster from 75 players on Thursday to 53 by this afternoon, perhaps no move will be more devastating than placing defending NFL sack champion Elvis Dumervil on injured reserve.

Broncos could be an uninsured motorist at tailback - The Denver Post
The Broncos have had difficulty securing an insurance policy for their backfield. That's why, when the Broncos scan the waiver wire this weekend, the guys with "RB" next to their names will get a long look.

Broncos' LenDale White done for the season - The Denver Post
LenDale White knew for months that he would miss the first four games of the NFL's 2010 season while serving a league-mandated suspension.

Harrison not fined for big hit - The Denver Post
The NFL said Friday that Steelers linebacker James Harrison wasn't fined for his hit on Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton during an Aug. 29 preseason game

Broncos begin cuts with 8 roster moves | All Things Broncos
The Broncos began trimming their roster Friday. The team needs to make 21 roster moves before 4 p.m. MT.

Broncos searching for tight end help | All Things Broncos
As the Broncos finalize their 53-man roster tomorrow afternoon, they will be culling the waiver wires in hopes of upgrading their tight end position.

Seattle Seahawks to cut or trade T.J. Houshmandzadeh, start Mike Williams - ESPN
The Seattle Seahawks will cut ties with T.J. Houshmandzadeh by trading or releasing him, according to two league sources, and it will promote former Detroit first-round draft pick Mike Williams into its starting lineup for a Sept. 12 game against San Francisco.

Dallas Cowboys trade Patrick Crayton to San Diego Chargers - ESPN Dallas
The Dallas Cowboys cut their roster down by two Friday by trading veteran wide receiver Patrick Crayton and backup offensive lineman Pat McQuistan.

Washington Redskins' Mike Shanahan says Albert Haynesworth played so long for fitness - ESPN
The conditioning test was nothing compared to Albert Haynesworth's latest punishment.

Pittsburgh Steelers' Byron Leftwich suffers MCL sprain; QB starter uncertain - ESPN
Ben Roethlisberger isn't the only Steelers quarterback who might be out for four weeks.

Denver Broncos' Elvis Dumervil confirms he'll miss 2010 season - ESPN
The Denver Broncos had been holding out hope the league's top sacker would make a quicker than anticipated recovery from a torn chest muscle and return to action in December.

Report: New Orleans Saints' Darren Sharper to start season on PUP list - ESPN
New Orleans safety Darren Sharper will begin the season on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list, according to a report on NewOrleans.com.

New York Giants aquire Sage Rosenfels in trade with Minnesota Vikings - ESPN New York
The New York Giants have traded for Minnesota Vikings backup quarterback Sage Rosenfels.

New Orleans Saints release former Redskins running back Ladell Betts - ESPN
The New Orleans Saints released the former longtime Washington Redskins starter on Friday, his agent, Anthony Agnone, confirmed in an e-mail.

Friday new$ and note$ | National Football Post
Darnell Dockett finally got his contract. After two years of expressions of desire for a new deal through his agent Drew Rosenhaus, through his Twitter account and through more traditional media, Dockett has finally been rewarded -- with a four-year extension beyond his existing two years -- for his solid play through 81 consecutive starts and two Pro Bowls.

David Thornton to begin season on Titans' PUP list | National Football Post
Tennessee Titans linebacker David Thornton will begin the regular season on the physically unable to perform list, coach Jeff Fisher announced today.

Ed Reed to begin season on physically unable to perform list | National Football Post
Baltimore Ravens star free safety Ed Reed will begin the season on the physically unable to perform list as he continues to rehabilitate his surgically-repaired hip, according to a league source with knowledge of the situation.

Jarrad Page signs tender, Chiefs cut seven players | National Football Post
The Kansas City Chiefs have signed restricted free agent safety Jarrad Page to his one-year tender.

Source: Colts cut Ray Fisher | National Football Post
The Indianapolis Colts have released seventh-round rookie cornerback and kick returner Ray Fisher, according to a league source with knowledge of the situation.

Colts' Fili Moala arrested for DWI | National Football Post
Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Fili Moala is in trouble with the law.

Texans cut Reeves, Brown and Booty | National Football Post
Besides cutting kicker Kris Brown, the Houston Texans also cut cornerback Jacques Reeves and quarterback John David Booty.

Texans sign Derrick Ward | National Football Post
The Houston Texans addressed their backfield depth by signing running back Derrick Ward to a one-year contract, according to NFL.com.

NFL.com news: Steelers QB Leftwich has knee sprain, likely out 2 to 4 weeks
Byron Leftwich's strained left knee ligament could sideline him for most or all of the first month of the season, leaving the Steelers with only two healthy quarterbacks -- Dennis Dixon and Charlie Batch -- for their Sept. 12 opener against the Atlanta Falcons.

NFL.com news: Steelers allow veteran center Hartwig to explore trade options
The Pittsburgh Steelers have given center Justin Hartwig permission to contact other teams and explore trade options, a league source said Friday.

NFL.com news: Spagnuolo not ready to reveal who will be Rams' starting QB
Sam Bradford will have to wait a few days to learn if he'll start the Rams' opener. The No. 1 overall draft pick certainly has appeared ready for the job.

NFL.com news: Early 2010 awards predictions have a distinct Chargers flavor
Starting with these preseason predictions, Bucky Brooks will follow the top five candidates for the following awards on a weekly basis throughout the season: Most Valuable Player, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Offensive Rookie of the Year, Defensive Rookie of the Year, and Coach of the Year.

Owner rankings, Part 2: Split decision at top - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
When Jerry Jones considers the most surreal moments of his two-plus-decades as the Dallas Cowboys’ owner, an eminently eventful reign that has included three Super Bowl triumphs and a steady parade of larger-than-life characters, he inevitably flashes back to opening night at Cowboys Stadium.

NFL fines Ndamukong Suh $7,500 - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
Detroit Lions rookie defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh(notes) was fined $7,500 by the NFL on Friday for his roughing-the-passer penalty on quarterback Jake Delhomme(notes) in an exhibition game against the Browns.

Ben Roethlisberger Pittsburgh Steelers should not celebrate NFL reduced suspension 090310 - NFL News - FOX Sports on MSN
Just because NFL commissioner Roger Goodell shortened Roethlisberger’s suspension from six games to four after a Friday meeting at league headquarters doesn’t mean the star Pittsburgh quarterback should celebrate by popping champagne bottles or, for that matter, ordering tequila shots for his "bitches" at a college bar. It was the latter type of deviant behavior with at least one underage female student and ensuing sexual assault claim that led to this situation in the first place.

Bradshaw bummed Ben's suspension reduced - NFL News - FOX Sports on MSN
Not every Steelers fan was thrilled by news of Ben Roethlisberger's suspension reduction.

Big names might be headed for the NFL chopping block - John P. Lopez - SI.com
Colt McCoy, the Texas golden boy and college football's all-time winningest quarterback, seems to have avoided the NFL chopping block. Or maybe not.

Footballguys.com Forums: The Shark Pool

2010-09-04 02:49:37 GMT

QUOTE

Cowboys RB Marion Barber is known as a physical runner and that is a concern to Dallas owner Jerry Jones. "His liability is that he will never not be physical," Jones told USA Today. "You have to worry about his ability to get through a season. He doesn't get any 'free' stuff. There's always something happening at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of every damn run." While Barber is a physical back, he has been relatively durable, missing just four starts in two seasons. But with Felix Jones and Tashard Choice nipping at his heels, Barber has to stay on the field. "Barber is a guy that can inspire you when you're trying to set a tone and tell 'em, 'Here we are,' at the start of a game," Jones said.
(Updated 08/31/2010).
Analysis
Asked if Barber should be Dallas starting RB, Jones said, "I don't, but our coaches do. (Former head coach) Bill Parcells doesn't. Parcells thinks that Barber's the finisher. Save him and wear 'em down at the end. But our coaches like to use him early, that physical part, to establish that." Head coach Wade Phillips and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett expect the running back situation to be status quo. Barber had twice as many carries as Jones did last season and rushed for 932 yards. "He needs to be out there," Phillips said of Barber. "He's that type of back." Phillips said he doesn't need to manage Barber's touches or tell him to tone down his running style. "You can't change a guy's running style," Phillips says. "He's so strong, so powerful, he can ignite your team early in a game -- and late in a game." Barber reported to camp this season 5 pounds lighter and the coaches say he is also faster. Barber is averaging just 1.9 yards per carry in the preseason, but that is of little concern. Barber is not the touchdown vulture he once was, but it still seems Dallas likes him as its feature back. Barber has been the 23rd most drafted RB in CBSSports.com leagues, while Jones isn't far behind at 27th. Consider Barber a nice low-end No. 2 Fantasy RB.

Blogging The Boys

One.Cool.Customer — 2010-09-03 19:41:24 GMT

Jerry Jones: "very real'' chance Cowboys will make a trade before cut date

David Moore from the DMN reports:

Owner Jerry Jones said Friday that his team was talking to several teams about a potential trade and that those discussions involved more than just one player on the Cowboys roster.

"That's about all I can say about it,'' Jones said. "It hasn't happened, but there is potential that we might make a trade here before the cut deadline.''

Dallas Cowboys

David Moore / Reporter — 2010-09-03 19:22:48 GMT

The Cowboys, like every other team in the league, are trying to swing a trade before Saturday's mandatory cut date. Owner Jerry Jones said Friday that his team was talking...

Dallas Cowboys

David Moore / Reporter — 2010-09-03 19:28:45 GMT

Patrick Crayton's agent has said he would ask the Cowboys to release his client today rather than wait until Saturday if the receiver wasn't going to make the team's 53-man...

Flagstaff Today

Administrator — 2010-06-27 04:06:22 GMT

Keith Jones leans against a tree while listening to Sheila Brown, Glen Wilburn, middle, and Jerry Brown, right, play a tune on their guitars Saturday afternoon during the first day of the 29th annual Prescott Bluegrass Festival at the courthouse square. More: continued here

Bleacher Report - Front Page

John Breitenbach — 2010-06-27 00:13:01 GMT

Quarterbacks

What more is there to say that hasn't already been said about Saint Brees? He truly elevated himself into the top NFL echelon and now has a ring to prove it.

Undoubtedly a top 3 guy, Drew Brees moved himself ahead of Brady in my rankings and is tied with Peyton Manning.

Falcons' QB Matt Ryan is the best "young" QB around. He had an incredible rookie year leading a team seemingly destined to a top 5 draft pick to the NFC South title and a playoff berth.

Injuries hampered his 2009 season but he still put up solid numbers of 3000 yards, 22 TDs and 14 INTs.

Both Moore and Freeman are promising young players. Freeman looked the best of the 2009 crop at times but was horribly inconsistent, having terrible games against the Bucs, Jets, and Falcons.

Moore was solid for his starts but only attempted a mere 140 passes at 61.5 completion percentage with 8 TDs and 2 INTs.

The X factor in the equation is Panthers rookie Jimmy Clausen, who came from an NFL offense at Notre Dame and will turn out to be a star, giving the edge to Carolina.

1. Saints

2. Falcons

3. Panthers

4. Buccaneers

Running Backs

Jonathan Stewart and Deangelo Williams are the best combination of backs there is. Williams is the more dangerous option in the open field but Stewart is a deadly goal line back as his 10 TDs suggest.

There is nothing to split these two backs in terms of numbers, with Williams posting a slightly higher average but Stewart gaining more yards after first contact.

The fall off for Michael Turner was perhaps predictable. 375 attempts in 2008 led to a far higher vulnerability to injury, which is exactly what happened.

Turner is one of the best pure RBs, and he is complemented perfectly by Jerious Norwood who picks excels in the passing game on third down.

The surprise package was Jason Snelling, who filled in admirably when Turner was down, giving the Falcons a valuable contingency plan.

The Saints' Pierre Thomas is an underrated player. Sean Peyton likes to throw the football as well as spread it around meaning his numbers were limited to just 150 attempts for 800 yards at 5.4 yards per carry.

Thankfully, Mike Bell is gone, leaving Thomas a larger share of the workload with only Reggie Bush spelling him.

Bush's high rushing average was helped in a large way by the spreading of defenses caused by Drew Brees, but he is a good receiver and return specialist.

Tampa's Cadillac Williams is better than his numbers suggest. The Bucs' weak O-line limits their ability to run the football meaning Williams posted 816 yards at 3.9 a pop although his 500 yards after contact suggest he was running hard.

Tampa's most dissapointing player in 2009 was likely FA signing Derrick Ward. Ward simply didn't reveal the ability he had flashed in New York on his way to just 400 yards rushing at an avg of 3.6.

1. Panthers

2. Falcons

3. Saints

4. Bucs

Receivers (WRs and TEs)

All teams in the NFC South have solid receiving corps although none stand out. The Panthers just snag the top spot because of potential. Brandon Lafell was of the best WR prospects in the class and he'll likely challenge for immediate playing time. Steve Smith is still a dominant receiver even if he should be more careful playing flag football and QB/WR Armanti Edwards is an intriguing prospect (even if I think Carolina gave up too much to get him). Dwayne Jarrett is still a major dissapointment and is in a make or break year. None of the Panther's starting TEs are well known players but Gary Barnidge was promising in limited action posting 240 yards on a mere 12 receptions with an impressive average of 8.8 YAC.

The Saints love to spread the ball around. Marques Colston was the leading receiver with 1,000 yards with 9 TDs. He will be dissapointed however that he dropped 10 balls in 09. Robert Meachem also performed admirably and amazingly failed to drop a ball the entire year although he isn't as dangerous in the open field. Devery Henderson also posted solid numbers going over 800 yards although he'll be dissapointed by his 5 drops. At TE the oft-injured Jeremy Shockey is a libility as a run blocker but is a reliable target in the passing game registering 550 yards. Dave Thomas has similar attributes although he features in the backup role.

There has to be some concern over the Falcons' receiving situation. Roddy White is a very good and consistent receiver posting 1150 yards but the Falcons' lack a number 2 option. The Falcons didn't address the position in the draft until Kerry Meier in the 6th round and Michael Jenkins is certainly not the answer. No other player surpassed 200 yards and Brian Finneran was predictably injured. There is an indication the Tony Gonzalez may be finally wearing down. He posted his lowest number of yards (850) since 2002 despite a far more talented QB for most of the season although his reception total (83) remained high. Justin Peele is a nice run blocker.

Tampa's decision to double dip at the WR position was a good one. Arrelious Benn has all the physical attributes attributes to succeed and could become a very good player if he improves his concentration. Mike Williams was a risk in the 4th round because of questionable character concerns but he has first round talent. The two rookies will pair with promising slot receiver Sammie Stroughter who posted 320 yards on 31 receptions and 135 YACs. Kellen Winslow is a very good receiving option at TE but simply gets abused in the run game. 77 receptions for 900 yards and 5 TDs are very respectable numbers however. The Bucs could really do with a receiving TE, Jeremy Stevens is an awful player.

1. Panthers

2. Saints

3. Falcons

4. Bucs

Offensive lines

The Saints have one of the best interior lines ever assembled. Jahri Evans got a huge payday with he definately deserved but for the fact he is an OG. Carl Nicks and Jonathan Goodwin round out a purely dominant unit. The OTs are less impressive with Jon Stinchcomb struggling in the run game and Jermon Bushrod just generally being pretty awful. The latter allowed a ridiculous 9 sacks, 9 hits and 32 pressures in 618 pass blocks. 2nd round pick Charles Brown was solid value although his neck injury may be the reason for an apparently inexplicable fall.

The Falcons line is a mixed bag. Sam Baker failed to improve in his second year in fact regressing in pass protection to the tune of 5 sacks, 4 hits and 28 pressures. Things don’t get much better as you move along the line where LG Justin Blalock got abused at times allowing 3 hits and a pressure against Miami and 2 sacks, 1 hit and 3 pressures against Washington. There is rapid improvement after that however with C Todd Mclure who is one of the better ones in the league along with the solid Harvey Dahl and Tyson Clabo at RG and RT respectively.

The Panthers unit features a couple of pro-bowl calibre players in Ryan Khalil at C and Jordan Gross at LT. Gross only played half the season however and when he did he didn’t look like his former self allowing a disappointing 6 sacks, 5 hits and 11 pressures in 280 snaps. LG Travelle Wharton and RT Jeff Otah were also both below par although thankfully none came close to the awful play of RG Keydrick Vincent whose season was epitomised by destruction at the hands on the Williams Wall in Minnesotta.

The Bucs’ likely have the worst line in the league. The most annoying thing for Tampa fans is that players like Donald Penn have talent but their lethargic attitude means they consistently perform poorly. Davin Joseph, Jeremy Trublood and Zuttah and Jeff Faine simply aren’t very good players and the Bucs lack any established backups to speak of as well as failing to address the position in the draft.

Saints

Falcons

Panthers

Bucs

Defensive lines

With the additions made by the 1st and 2nd rounds of the NFL draft the Bucs may have elevated their D-line group to the top in the division. Gerald McCoy was a surefire top 3 pick while Brian Price fell because of unfounded background concerns. They will be partnered with the little known Stylez G White whose 8 sacks, 11 hits and 21 pressures in 320 pass rushes was incredible. White can also hold his own against the run. There is still a hole at the other DE position with only 7th round pick Erik Lorig added in the offseason.

The Falcons line has a couple of studs in DE Jon Abraham and DT Jonathan Babineux but Abraham’s age has to be a concern. His numbers in 2009 were again very impressive and he came to play against both the run and the pass but he is now getting up into the mid 30s. Kroy Biermann was especially impressive as a nickel rusher but the question remains over whether that will be his upside. The Falcons took a calculated risk in the 2008 NFL draft opting with Peria Jerry who came with injury concerns. Unfortunately for them Jerry did go down and if he can’t stay healthy or prove he can play at the NFL level there will continue to be a weakness for Atlanta at the other DT spot.

The loss of Julius Peppers may not be as significant if Charles Johnson and Everette Brown continue to show the talent they possessed in 2009. The Panthers continued the theme of giving up future firsts and acquired Brown in the 2nd round and he certainly showed potential in the pass rushing department. The interior of the line remains a significant problem however

with Damione Lewis struggling against the run and Hollis Thomas wearing down.

The Saints line is very average with the overrated Will Smith still struggling against the run and only bringing just above average pressure. Sedrick Ellis has thus far failed to live up to his draft status and Remi Ayodele isn’t much help next to him. The Saints are hoping 4th round pick Al Woods turns out to be a solid starter although his production at the college level was disappointing for a player of his talent. Thankfully the washed up Charles Grant is gone to be replaced by perhaps the best run stopping DE in the league in Alex Brown although he offers little rushing the passer.

Buccaneers

Falcons

Panthers

Saints

Linebackers

The Panthers defense is led by the dominant Jon Beason who is a major force against the run as well as limited opposing QBs to a rating of 80 into his coverage. Partnering him on the weakside is former S Thomas Davis another of the league’s most underrated players who has great versatility. If he can recover for the start of the season from being replaced on IR in 2009 then this duo will again be formidable. James Anderson and Na’il Diggs are both solid options for the strongside.

The Buccaneers group are also very impressive. Geno Hayes is a very good blitzer and run defender at WLB while Quincy Black excels in coverage. They sandwich the impressive Barett Ruud who does tend to be a little overrated and could improve his pass rushing ability. The Bucs also look to have a steal in Dekoda Watson taken at 217 overall who should provide depth.

The Falcons have another of the league’s top MLBs, something that appears to be a feature of the NFC South, in Curtis Lofton. Lofton exploded at the start of the year but did seem to regress as the season went on, especially in coverage, although his work against the run was impeccable. Mike Peterson had clearly lost it so the addition of Sean Wetherspoon was a smart one as he can provide some much needed leadership to the defense. Stephen Nicholas is a solid option at SLB even if he does struggle a little in coverage.

The Saints lost Scott Fuiita who while less than ideal certainly wasn’t the worst starting SLB and replaced him with a guy who struggled in Jacksonville in Clint Ingram. Unfortunately for the Saints Scott Shanle remains who was simply horrendous in every department in 2009. Jonathan Vilma is another overrated guy. He is the best coverage LB there is but gets too easily pushed around in the run game and isn’t a great blitzer.

Panthers

Buccaneers

Falcons

Saints

Secondary

The reason the Saints went from 8-8 in 2008 to nearly perfect in 2009 was the addition of CBs Jabari Greer and expanded role of Tracy Porter. The dip in form for the Saints coincided with injuries to these two players and their return permitted the superbowl run. The addition of Patrick Robinson in the 1st round was therefore a strange one especially considering I thought Chris Cook and Amari Spievey were better prospects. The resigning of Roman Harper and Darren Sharper were also important the latter especially if Malcolm Jenkins plays FS anything like he played CB in 2009.

The Falcons splashed out big on FA CB Dunta Robinson but the move brings risks. Robinson has a history of injuries although considering the issues Atlanta had at the position in 2009 the move is understandable. Who mans the other CB position is still unclear although whoever it is they are unlikely to play well if 2009 is anything to go by. The Falcons do have two promising safeties however in Thomas Decoud and Erick Coleman although the latter did seem to struggle against the run.

The Bucs have one CB position set with Aqib Talib but they really lacked a number 2 in 2009. Hoping to solve it they added CB Myron Lewis in the 3rd round. The safeties Sabby Piscitelli and Tanard Jackson are both incredibly underwhelming against the run leading to the addition of Sean Jones however the FA signing did seem to struggle with missed tackles himself in Philadelphia.

The Panthers lack much ability in the secondary. Chris Gamble seems to be done while Richard Marshall was ok in coverage. Captain Munnerlyn conceded too many penalties in 2009 and isn’t the most ideal nickel CB. Charles Godfrey is at least solid at S but his partner Chris Harris is a liability against the run.

Saints

Falcons

Buccaneers

Panthers

Conclusion

Its difficult to see the Saints not winning the division unless Drew Brees gets hurt. Having said that the Panthers could surprise if Jimmy Clausen is a s good as he can be. The Falcons aren’t far behind either whilst the Bucs are doing a nice job of retooling their defense although the offense remains a year away from allowing them to become a serious contender.

New Orleans Saints : 11-14 Ws

Carolina Panthers: 8-11 Ws

Atlanta Falcons: 8-10 Ws

Tamp Bay Buccaneers: 3-5 Ws

Bleacher Report - Front Page

Michael Dunham — 2010-06-26 21:20:01 GMT

The 2010 off-season has been a fairly quiet one for the Dallas Cowboys, especially by their standards. Outside of the drafting of highly touted wide receiver Dez Bryant and the release of the highly criticized Flozell Adams, there have not been any major happenings in Cowboy camp. Here are five moves the Cowboys need to make by the end of the off-season to have a more successful season in 2010.

Name Felix Jones the starting back

In my opinion, this is the most important move the Cowboys need to make for their offense to be more productive next season.

Ever since Barber moved from his role of late game and third down back, a role where he was named a Pro Bowler, to starting running back, he has been plagued by injuries and disappointing stats.

If Felix Jones can produce near the same yards per carry as a starter as he does as the back up, the Cowboys can produce monster numbers in the running game.

This change would likely help Barber stay healthy, which has been a huge problem as of late. With Felix Jones and Tashard Choice putting up the numbers they are able to put up early and a hopeful return to Pro Bowl caliber for Marion Barber late in games, the Cowboys should have one of the top, if not the best rushing attack in the NFL.

For more on how this change would affect the Cowboys rushing attack click here.

Sign a safety

One of the biggest losses for the Cowboys in the off-season was the loss of safety Ken Hamlin. He has not exactly been the cream of the crop in the last two years, but without him the Cowboys will have to start an unproven Alan Ball at Free Safety, with Gerald Sensabaugh lining up at the Strong Safety position.

Many people were surprised when Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he had no interest in free agent O.J. Atogwe, especially considering the upcoming uncapped season. Some people think Jerry might be becoming more weary of his money than in the past, while others think it may be a sign of learning from past mistakes and not paying big bucks for a possible locker room distraction.

Regardless, the safety position is the biggest weakness the Cowboys have. This late into the off-season and after passing on a talent such as Atogwe, it is doubtful that the Cowboys will actually sign anyone.

Make Roy Williams The Third String Receiver

Of all the moves Jerry Jones has made as general manager, trading for Roy Williams has panned out to be one of his worst.

The Cowboys showed that they do not have much faith in Williams when they traded up in the draft to get Oklahoma State standout Dez Bryant. Bryant will likely start the season as the third receiver, with Austin as the main target and Williams as the number two option.

As the season goes on and Bryant develops a chemistry with Romo, he could likely be moved up to the second string position. Thus, moving Williams down to third string.

Do not be surprised to see Patrick Crayton use this off-season as motivation and have a better season than years past, and possibly even work his way up the depth chart.

Run The Ball More

Dallas ranked 17th in rushing attempts last season with 436 attempts while ranking second in the NFL with an average of 4.8 yards a rush. If the Cowboys make Felix Jones the starting back, like they should, expect that average to go up to over five yards a rush.

With increased rushing attempts and yards per carry, the Cowboys could easily lead the NFL in rushing next season.

Relying more on the rush would also open up the passing game for the Cowboys, making their big play receivers even more of a threat.

Finish The Drive

While the Cowboys ranked second in the NFL in total offense, they were only 14th in points produced. The big problem was Dallas' inability to finish the drive once they got into the red zone.

With Marion Barber not being worn down throughout the game, he will be much fresher when the Cowboys get deep in the oppositions territory. This will make him a much bigger scoring threat than in the past two years, where he was often worn down or hurt.

Miles Austin, Dez Bryant, and Roy Williams provide Tony Romo with plenty of big targets, making the passing attack just as dangerous as the run.

The Cowboys have all the tools in place to be a successful red zone team, they just need to put a major focus on it in the off-season so they are able to go out and execute to their maximum capabilities on Sundays.

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