Nfl Football Bet - Football Betting

2005-11-07T12:09:00.000-08:00

Shrink`s advice key to Colts cover?
By Andrew Folkes
Sun, Nov 6, 2005

In a recent interview with the Indianapolis Star, sports psychologist Chris Carr had some advice for the Colts as they try to break their infamous losing streak against the New England Patriots. Forget past results. --football gambling--

"From a performance standpoint, those past games in Foxboro should be totally irrelevant to Monday night,” he said. “If you`re telling me you`re in a slump, that means you`re using a description of past performance… as an excuse for your next failure." --football gambling--

There’s no word on whether or not the Colts got the message, but both sportsbooks and bettors seem to be heeding his advice. Although New England’s won the last six encounters and denied Indy a payday in nine straight meetings, oddsmakers opened the line with the Colts as 3-point favorites and they’ve since been wagered up to –4. --football gambling--

The line makes sense considering the Colts have five paydays and are undefeated through their first seven games of the season, while the Patriots are struggling through an injury-plagued campaign. But when a matchup has been as one-sided as this one, is it really a good idea to just toss the history book? --football gambling--

“You always have to put some stock in past results,” says Covers Expert Bryan Leonard. “As an athlete, you always know who you’ve struggled against and you know who can beat you. It’s something that gets in your head after a while.” --football gambling--

Indy’s losing streak to New England appears to have taken its toll on Indy’s collective psychic, particularly in Peyton Manning’s case. The Colts quarterback thew a pair of interceptions in his last two games against New England, and led his offense to just a single field goal in last year’s divisional playoff after throwing 49 majors during the season. The Colts also lost two fumbles in that game, committed 44 yards worth of penalties and allowed the Pats a 15:26 edge in time of possession. --football gambling--

They should be able to put that out of their minds come game time, but it probably won’t take much to dredge up the bad memories. “If the Pats get some early breaks going their way, then you start thinking, ‘Well, maybe we really can’t beat these guys,’ ” Leonard says. “You can prepare yourself all you want, but if the Pats manage to establish, say, a double-digit lead by halftime, it’s going to be very difficult for [Indianapolis] to recover from that.” --football gambling--
Considering how easily the Colts have cruised through the first seven weeks of the schedule and how battered New England is, the Patriots have perhaps never looked so vulnerable to their AFC rivals. That puts additional pressure on Indianapolis to leave Gillette Stadium with a victory, but it’s not the only team that’ll be feeling the heat in Foxboro Monday night. --football gambling--

“I don’t think the Patriots can just write this game off,” explains Leonard. “They’re 4-3 right now and if they lose they risk missing the playoffs. And it looks like the Colts are going to have home-field advantage in the playoffs. If they can go into New England [Monday night] and beat the Patriots and then get them at home in the playoffs, that gives them a significant edge.” Tonight’s total is set at 48. --football gambling--

Share your thoughts on this article in the Covers posting forum.--football gambling--

2005-10-31T14:30:00.000-08:00

Smith making a case for MVP

Brad Thomas
PantherInsider.com

David Terrell, Koren Robinson, Rod Gardner, Santana Moss and Freddie Mitchell. All five of these wide receivers were drafted in the first round of the 2001 draft, and none of the five are on the team that drafted them just four years ago. The 74th pick in the 2001 draft, Smith has eclipsed every single WR in his draft class. Sure, Chad Johnson likes to talk about himself and Santana Moss has gotten recent pub, but no WR in the NFL is as explosive and as dominant as Steve Smith is right now. -NFL Football-

If he were in a big market like New York, everyone would be talking about him, and everyone would know the things he’s done. The fact that he plays in Charlotte, one of the forgotten markets in the country, means his accolades are largely ignored or glossed-over by the national media. -NFL Football-

Some stats about Smith you might not be familiar with: Smith is the only player since the NFL adopted the 16 game schedule in ’78 to amass 1,900 combined net yards in each of his first three seasons, compiling a team-record 1,994 yards in 2001 and 1,909 yards in 2002. Smith and KC's Priest Holmes are the only two players in the NFL with 1,900 or more combined net yards in each season from '01-03. His 5,803 combined net yards led all non-running backs in the NFL from '01-03. Smith currently leads the NFL in receiving yards (797), receptions (50) and touchdowns (8). Remember, Smith missed nearly the entire 2004 season with a broken leg. -NFL Football-

"He's good and we try to feed it to him when we can," Panthers QB Jake Delhomme said after their latest win over the Vikings. "They wanted to stack the box a good bit. They'd bring eight down and have one on one opportunities and he made the most of it. He's a great player and he does well when the ball is in his hands. He enjoys playing and competing in practice. That is just Smitty and I'm glad he's on our side. He's fun to throw to. He makes things happen. He not only helps put points on the board and move the ball, but if they have to start tending to him and getting two guys on him, that can open up other guys and open up the running game." -NFL Football-

You’d think Smith would be all over Sports Center and be the subject of paparazzi-like media coverage like other premiere stars in the NFL. -NFL Football-

He’s not, and Smith likes it that way. He repeatedly declines opportunities to appear on National TV and Radio shows. He says he’s not about the talking, he lets his actions on the field do the talking for him. -NFL Football-

"When I went back home I talked to my junior college," Smith said. "Seeing those guys put it in more perspective of how fortunate I am. I'm having fun being out here. I enjoy playing, but I keep stressing that last year put things in perspective. I felt like football was my whole life. When it was taken away from me, I felt the Lord was teaching me a lesson to not put all my eggs in one basket. I do a lot more at home and in the community. That is why I'm enjoying playing. When I'm football, I'm football. When I'm at home, I'm a dad and that is it." -NFL Football-

That’s not to say Smith has gone soft. During the Panthers 38-13 thrashing of the Vikings last Sunday, Smith admitted he jawed back against Minnesota CB Fred Smoot, who Smith said started out with personal attacks before the game. Smith responded by torching Smoot on the field, setting a Panthers record with 201 yards on 11 receptions and 1 touchdown. Although Smith only scored 1 touchdown, the rest of the Panthers 31 points were directly related to those 201 receiving yards he amassed. -NFL Football-

"When someone bangs on your door, I'm not going to hide in the corner and say, "Nobody is here."," said Smith. "I'll open it and I'm ready for the challenge." -NFL Football-

The Panthers are 5-2, with a four-game winning streak heading into next week’s game against Tampa Bay. If the Bucs don’t double Smith or at least game-plan for him, he’ll burn them for a big game. If they decide to take away Smith by doubling and game-planning for him, other players will step-up and take advantage of Smith being the focus of their efforts. -NFL Football-

That is the definition of an MVP. -NFL Football-

Story URL: http://panthers.scout.com/2/459891.html

Copyright © 2005 Scout.com and PantherInsider.com

2005-10-18T18:15:00.000-07:00

Cowher accepts the blame for Maddox mistakes, benching Bettis
By ALAN ROBINSON, AP Sports WriterOctober 18, 2005
-- NFL --
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- According to Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher, the blame starts with him. -- NFL --
While quarterback Tommy Maddox wasn't willing to accept much responsibility for a 23-17 overtime loss Sunday to Jacksonville, Cowher spent an unusual amount of time at his weekly news conference Tuesday doing exactly that. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
Cowher second-guessed himself for not pulling the error-prone Maddox and inserting No. 3 quarterback Charlie Batch, and also said he should have played running back Jerome Bettis more during the second half. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
Normally, Cowher quickly shifts the focus of his news conference to the next opponent -- one reason why he holds his media sessions Tuesday, not on Monday like most NFL coaches. But it was obvious he wasn't happy with his team's play or his own coaching against Jacksonville.
-- NFL --
``It was probably one of the most frustrating losses I've experienced in my 14 years here,'' Cowher said. ``When you walk away from that game, as all coaches do, you sit back and you reflect. A lot of the decisions that were made and the choices that you had, ultimately you are responsible for all of it. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
``Certainly I accept that responsibility, and I am responsible.''
In contrast to Cowher's remarks, Maddox blamed the wind, the booing fans and, in so many words, his own teammates.-- NFL --
-- NFL --
Making his first meaningful start in 13 months, Maddox was intercepted three times and fumbled once, with two turnovers in overtime. The game ended when cornerback Rashean Mathis intercepted a poorly thrown pass and returned it for a game-winning touchdown.
-- NFL --
Afterward, Maddox seemed bothered more by the booing than his own play, saying the jeering wasn't deserved because ``I've got a track record here.'' -- NFL --
-- NFL --
What Maddox isn't likely to have anytime soon is playing time. Batch is expected to be the backup Sunday at Cincinnati when Ben Roethlisberger returns after sitting out against the Jaguars with a hyperextended left knee. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
Roethlisberger lobbied Cowher from midweek to let him play, but Cowher didn't want to risk playing him only six days after he avoided what could have been a season-ending knee injury. However, it turns out Maddox may have played not only with a calf injury but with an injured shoulder.-- NFL --
-- NFL --
Cowher was clearly irritated he didn't know about the injury until Monday, and seemed so agitated with Maddox's performance he wouldn't disclose which shoulder was injured. -- NFL --
``Nobody was made aware of anything during the course of the game,'' Cowher said.
-- NFL --
The only touchdown Maddox generated -- other than for the Jaguars -- came on a 65-yard drive in the second quarter in which all but 21 yards came on Jacksonville penalties.
-- NFL --
Still, Cowher chose to stay with the former starter, partly because Batch has thrown only eight passes in four seasons. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
``Two of the first three series did end in interceptions, but I did feel as though he settled down,'' Cowher said of Maddox. ``As the game went on, he did a good job with the no-huddle aspect of it.'' -- NFL --
Cowher also stayed with Willie Parker at running back, rather than switching to Bettis as he did during a 24-22 victory in San Diego the previous Monday.-- NFL --

Parker was ineffective in the second half, gaining only 37 yards on 15 carries and finishing with 21 carries for 55 yards. Bettis had 4 yards on four carries, all in the first half.
-- NFL --
``Unfortunately, we did not have Jerome in the game, and I wish we would've gotten him into the game in the second half,'' Cowher said. ``That's a decision I am responsible for, and I'm not going to dwell on it any more.'' -- NFL --

The Steelers aren't certain whether Pro Bowl receiver Hines Ward (hamstring) will play Sunday after sitting out a game for the first time in his eight-year career.
-- NFL --
He is listed as questionable, as are left guard Alan Faneca (toe), defensive end Aaron Smith (back), wide receivers Cedrick Wilson (wrist) and Antwaan Randle El (foot) and Maddox. Cornerback Deshea Townsend (hamstring) is doubtful.-- NFL --

2005-10-10T13:19:00.000-07:00

Broncos hang on, 21-19, against Redskins

DENVER (Oct. 9, 2005) -- The offense wasn't moving. Denver was facing overtime in the icy, bitter rain. Linebacker Ian Gold stuck his hand out, knocked down a pass, and with that, the Broncos showed that Washington isn't the only team that can find odd and ugly ways to win the close ones. - NFL Football -

Gold knocked away Mark Brunell 's 2-point conversion pass with 1:09 left to help Denver hang on to a 21-19 victory and keep the Redskins from adding yet another fantastic finish to their charmed season. - NFL Football -

"Later in the season, you don't remember how they came, you only remember it's a win," said Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer, held to 92 yards passing in the driving rain.

The problems that plagued Plummer, however, didn't bother Brunell.

He went 30 for 53 for 322 yards and drove the Redskins 94 yards for the touchdown -- an 11-yard pass to Chris Cooley -- that pulled Washington (3-1) within two.

On the conversion try, Brunell spotted David Patten open in the back of the end zone for a moment, but Gold came over and batted down the pass to prevent a possible overtime.

"You saw what his speed and athleticism will do," Broncos linebacker Al Wilson said. "It was a hell of a play."

The Redskins won their first three games by a total of six points, including a grinding 20-17 overtime win last week that came only after Seattle kicker Josh Brown hit the upright on the last play of regulation. This time, though -- no great finish. - NFL Football -

"This one is going to hurt, it's supposed to hurt," Brunell said.

While Gold's big play saved the game, Tatum Bell made the difference for Denver (4-1) the rest of the time, rushing for 127 yards and two long scores to help the Broncos to a 21-10 lead.

In the first quarter, Bell took a toss on fourth-and-1 and faked out Phillip Daniels en route to a 34-yard score. That stood as Bell's longest career run until the third quarter, when he burst through the Washington defense on a sweep for a 55-yard touchdown to put the Broncos ahead by 11. - NFL Football -

"I just have to keep working," said Bell, demoted behind Mike Anderson in training camp this year. "I don't want to just be a 'one-game wonder.' I want to be the starter."

The Broncos won their fourth straight despite missing Champ Bailey, who sat out his second straight game with a sore hamstring. It put a damper on what was supposed to be the first meeting between him and Clinton Portis since the Redskins and Broncos pulled off a blockbuster trade and swapped the two stars before last season. - NFL Football -

Portis, a flamboyant and temperamental playmaker during his two years in Denver, ran for 103 yards on 20 carries for the Redskins and was booed pretty much every time he touched the ball.

"My fans don't boo me in Washington and that's the only fans I look for to cheer for me," he said.

Cheers or boos, there was no denying Portis wasn't nearly as big a factor as Bell.

The Broncos acquired Bell last year with a second-round pick Washington threw in to complete the Bailey-Portis trade, and Bell finally cashed in on the potential he showed signs of during his injury-plagued rookie season. - NFL Football -

His big plays were needed.

Denver gained only 257 yards and managed 11 first downs. Plummer went 10 for 25, a sloppy showing that wasn't nearly as efficient as he'd been in Denver's last two wins.

He was as happy as anyone that the defense held at the end.

"We'd been standing there a long time," Plummer said. "It would have been hard to get back out there as an offense and get back ready for overtime."

Brunell, meanwhile, looked at home in the rain. In the end, though, the Redskins had a number of missed opportunities to bemoan in such a close game. - NFL Football -

A false-start penalty nullified what would have been a 54-yard field goal by Nick Novak -- a good kick given the conditions -- at the end of the first half. In the third quarter, Washington moved into field goal range again, but Trevor Pryce got a hand on Novak's kick.

Washington also had a safety taken away courtesy of the famous "tuck rule." Plummer lost the ball near his goal line and recovered in the end zone where he was tackled, but officials overruled the play, saying Plummer's arm had been moving forward when the ball slipped from his grasp, making it an incomplete pass. - NFL Football -

"We had enough mistakes to actually go out and lose this game," Portis said. "We hurt ourselves."

Notes: Denver improved to 4-1 or better for the seventh time in Mike Shanahan's 11 seasons with the Broncos. ... Washington's lost fumble was the only turnover of the game and the Redskins' turnover ratio fell to minus-5. - NFL Football -

2005-10-01T15:58:00.000-07:00

Players tied to indicted doctor face tests
NFL.com wire reports

Some of the NFL players linked to a South Carolina doctor indicted on federal charges for giving them steroids will be subject to as many as 24 random drug tests each year, The Washington Post reported. - NFL Football -

NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue told the paper that the league concluded an investigation into reports about prescriptions written by James M. Shortt, who was charged last week with 29 counts of distributing steroids and human growth hormones, as well as a conspiracy charge.

The players involved, most of them reportedly current or former members of the Carolina Panthers, will be subject to up to two dozen random steroids tests annually, the newspaper reported.

"Every player who was part of the investigation who's still in the league is being tested up to 24 times a year, which is the most important element of putting an end to this," Tagliabue told the newspaper. "That's why we have not had repeat offenders. That's as important or more important than the discipline. It's testing people up to 24 times a year on a random basis."

The Washington Post, citing an anonymous source, said the league's report indicated that less than 10 players during a four-year period used banned substances given to them by Shortt.

A CBS News report in March identified center Jeff Mitchell, tackle Todd Steussie and punter Todd Sauerbrun as having filled steroid prescriptions written by Shortt. Several other former Panthers were also named as Shortt's patients in subsequent media reports.

Of the players identified in the initial CBS report, only Mitchell, the Panthers' starting center, remains with the team. Steussie is with Tampa Bay and Sauerbrun was traded to Denver. None of the players linked to Shortt were suspended or fined. - NFL Football -

Both Tagliabue and NFL Players Association head Gene Upshaw declined to identify the players who will be subjected to the frequent testing, but The Post, citing an NFL source, said only Mitchell, Steussie and Sauerbrun were affected. - NFL Football -

"There's no fear that there's a wider problem," Upshaw told The Post. "The report has been completed. We will be, at some point, giving it to Congress. We're satisfied with the results of it."

2005-09-14T15:21:00.000-07:00

Saints WR Horn visits refugees at Astrodome
NFL.com wire reports

HOUSTON (Sept. 3, 2005) -- Three-year-old Aaron Carter timidly hoisted a small football skyward to Saints receiver Joe Horn, who reached down and gave the boy a hug before signing.

The boy's grandmother, Jeanne Carter, says seeing Aaron happy made her smile for the first time all week. For thousands of Hurricane Katrina refugees inside the Astrodome, meeting Horn was a much-needed morale boost. - NFL Football -

"Anybody can throw money around at these people, but they need love," said Horn, who spent three hours signing autographs, holding babies and playing games with children. "They need to be able to feel me. So when I leave, I hope they feel a little better."

Horn made good on a promise after the Saints' last preseason game Sept. 1 by driving to Houston to spend time with refugees. - NFL Football -

Longtime Saints fan DeShawn Brown could barely contain himself when he saw Horn.

"This is big," Brown bellowed. "Our mail didn't come out here, and Joe Horn came out here. He's the truth."

Horn worked his way through lines of cots and people lining the Astrodome floor as women shrieked in delight and everyone from small children to the elderly lined up to greet him.

"We're going to bounce back," he yelled to the crowd. "Things will get better."

People milling on the Astrodome floor and those sitting in the stands alike hollered their thanks to Horn and kids dashed toward him clasping any paper they could find for autographs. Others had him sign miniature Bibles distributed to survivors. - NFL Football -

"Joe Horn came to see us when no one else would," one person said. "It's good to see somebody from home," yelled another from high above.

Bridget Bailey, who came to the Astrodome with 18 relatives after being rescued by helicopter, showed Horn digital pictures of her flooded home.

"Horn came to show us love, baby," she said. "It means so much to see him here and know that he cares."

A middle-aged man pushed through the crowd and approached Horn with a picture of his missing wife. He asked Horn to hold the photograph while he snapped a picture of the player and said he was confident he would find her. - NFL Football -

One young man came up crying and relayed a story about watching several members of his family die. Horn said he almost broke down but composed himself when he looked around and saw the smiling faces of several children gathered around him.

Horn held babies, kissing them on their cheeks and making them giggle. He sat down on cots and talked to the elderly. He tossed a football to a young boy and played a board game with another.

"Right now money doesn't matter," said Horn, who has sent more than $15,000 to friends and associates affected by the flood. "Who you are or where you're from doesn't matter. Getting to come out here and give a child a hug or give someone a hug who knows that their house and everything that they have is gone is what's important."

He spoke through an interpreter with Darron Gavrel, 14, who is deaf. He told him to stay positive and shared with the teen-ager that he has an aunt and uncle who are deaf. Gavrel's eyes grew wide and he smiled, revealing a toothy grin. - NFL Football -

It was a softer side to the man who made headlines two years ago when he was fined $30,000 for pulling a cell phone out the goal post padding after a touchdown and making a call in the end zone.

Many people asked him about the future of the Saints and how the season would go. The team has moved its headquarters to San Antonio. - NFL Football -

"I don't care about all that," he said. "We're going to be where they want us to be anyway."

On the drive to the Astrodome, Horn was quiet and upset.

When asked if football mattered right now he answered, "Hell, no."

He was different after his visit, smiling and laughing, and had even changed his tune on football.

"I thought football would be irrelevant, but it's not," he said. "They want us to roll. They want us to play, so now I'm more spirited to do that."

He felt like he got as much of a boost from the visit as he gave to the people.

"At first my spirits was down," he said. "I didn't want to catch any footballs. I didn't want to run any routes. Now, I'm going back full steam ahead telling the fellows, 'Let's go. That's what everybody wants.' " - NFL Football -

While he was in California watching the footage of New Orleans, he said he felt helpless and sickened and could barely eat. He knew then he had to reach out to the people of the city.

"I feel much better now because I see where their heart is," he said. "They're about helping themselves and helping each other. They just appreciate that I came through just to say, 'You're going to be all right.' "

He said preparing for the Saints' opener Sept. 11 at Carolina will be tough, but he'll do it for all the fans he met. - NFL Football -

"I'm going to get a grasp of myself because the fans here, they still want us to win," he said. "That's what they have to hold on to. That's why I came. I wanted to come and feel their heart. Now I can feel more comfortable about taking a flight to Carolina and trying to win a football game for these fans.

2005-09-06T09:35:00.000-07:00

Nuggets of tradition

Terry Foster / The Detroit News

College fans hang onto special moments like precious jewels.

Spartans fans can detail every play of every victory over the rival Wolverines. We remember Central Michigan's twice-as-nice victories over Michigan State, Bo vs. Woody, national title runs in Ann Arbor and East Lansing, and the 60-minute-and-one-second game that sparked new hostility between U-M and MSU fans in 2001.

New traditions began Thursday and continue tonight when Indiana becomes the first Big Ten team to venture into Kelley-Shorts Stadium, capping three days of celebration by Central Michigan fans.

This weekend, nearly 250,000 fans will pack campuses across the state to root for their favorite teams and become part of the pageantry of collegefootball.

Nationwide, an estimated 33 million fans will attend games.

Football fans never lose ties with their schools.

Despite working 36 years at Michigan, Schembechler still attends events at Miami (Ohio), where he got his start.

Central Michigan athletic director Herb Deromedi, who is retiring, still bleeds maize and blue despite spending five decades at CMU asfootball coach and athletic director.

"I bet you will see Herb at a lot more live Michigan games now," Schembechler said.

How many times have you stepped into someone's office and seen the distinctive Notre Dame gold or Texas burnt orange plastered on the walls?

How about Gary Prudian, who moved from Warren to Los Angeles to attend law school at Southern California? He can get tickets to any home game at USC, which is going for a third straight national title. Yet, every Saturday he slips on his No. 12 Ricky Powers uniform and mingles with other Michigan fans at the Gotham City bar to watch the Wolverines.

What would it take for a fan to stop rooting for his chosen team?

"Ahhhhhhhhh, it would probably take them dropping football," said Nitz, who lives outside Grand Rapids. "Even if they hire a coach I do not like, I would never stop being a fan."

2005-08-30T08:34:00.000-07:00

A chance for UC football to shine
Bearcats begin season Thursday

While the rest of Greater Cincinnati was consumed by the Bob Huggins controversy last week, there was one corner of town where the news barely caused a ripple - in thefootball locker room at the University of Cincinnati.

The Bearcats, who open their season at 7 p.m. Thursday with a nonconference game against Eastern Michigan at Nippert Stadium, have remained almost oblivious to the controversy.

"What commotion?" said defensive end Adam Roberts when asked how the players handled it last week.

He wasn't kidding.

"It hasn't affected us at all," Roberts said. "I haven't really heard anything about it since the day it happened. There's been maybe one conversation here and there but nothing to throw the team off the track."

UC head coach Mark Dantonio said there hasn't been much time for the players and coaches to talk about the Huggins situation even if they wanted to.

"Time is a big commodity right now for us," Dantonio said. "We've tried to focus on what we need to get done. We have a lot of younger players that we're constantly coaching."

This was supposed to be a time of celebration and anticipation at UC as the Bearcats embarked on their first football season in the Big East Conference. To mark the occasion, the school is giving away Big East commemorative Bearcat bobbleheads to the first 5,000 fans who enter the stadium.

Unfortunately for the football program, no one has paid much attention to the players and coaches during the past week as they prepared for their season opener.

But UC football players are accustomed to having the media spotlight shine elsewhere. They say it doesn't bother them. All they want to do is playfootball.

"We're all focused on what we need to get done with Eastern Michigan," said placekicker Kevin Lovell. "It's a tragedy what happened, but we have other focuses. We can't put our mind on something else. We have to get our job done."

Eastern Michigan, 4-7 a year ago, is not the kind of opponent that would create a buzz under any circumstances, but the Eagles do have a few marquee players. One of them is junior kicker Andrew Wellock, a third-team All-American and the runner-up last year for the Lou Groza Award, which goes to the nation's best kicker.

Wellock converted 21 of 23 field goal chances and 32 of 33 extra points.

"I've been looking forward to this game for awhile," Lovell said. "I'll be able to see where I match with him. He's very good."

EMU wide receiver Eric Deslauriers, a second-team all-Mid American Conference selection last year, caught 84 passes for 1,257 yards and 13 touchdowns and finished fourth nationally with 114.27 receiving yards per game.

Quarterback Matt Bohnet, a transfer from Iowa, returns after averaging 255 yards per game a year ago, completing 52.5 percent of his passes for 21 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He ranked sixth nationally in total offense among quarterbacks, with 293.74 yards per game.

Regardless of what happens in the opener, Thursday's game will give the UC community a chance to focus on something other than the Huggins flap. And it will give the coaches their first indication of how their young players will respond when they go to Penn State next week and around the Big East in subsequent weeks.

"Last year was different for me because it was my first year," Dantonio said.

"We were eager about that. But this year we have a lot of young players. It's normal to want to see how they'll respond in a game situation."

2005-08-24T08:18:00.000-07:00

Former NFL Star Sought by L.A. Police

Former NFL running back Lawrence Phillips, who was wanted by police for domestic violence, was arrested Sunday after allegedly running his car into three teenagers who argued with him during a pickup football game, police said. - NFL Football -
Phillips, 30, was booked on suspicion of attempted murder and domestic abuse and held without bail, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Web site. It wasn't immediately clear if Phillips had an attorney to represent him.
Police had been seeking Phillips since earlier this month for allegedly attacking his girlfriend twice, once choking her into unconsciousness. - NFL Football -
Phillips joined a group of 16- and 17-year-olds in a pickup football game in Exposition Park on Sunday and got into an argument with some of the teens, said Los Angeles Police Officer Sandra Escalante. He left, but came back and drove a car onto the field, hitting three of the boys, she said.
The three teenagers were treated at a hospital; none of their injuries was considered life threatening, police said. - NFL Football -
The car was reported stolen in San Diego last week, Escalante said.
Phillips was arrested and held on the domestic violence felony warrant. Charges are pending in the Sunday incident, Escalante said.
It wasn't immediately clear if Phillips had an attorney to represent him.
The former University of Nebraska star has a history of high-profile trouble with the law going back a decade to his time as one of the nation's top college football players.
He was drafted in 1996 by the St. Louis Rams, despite pleading no contest to a charge of domestic violence in a confrontation with a girlfriend, but was released for insubordination the following year. Phillips then signed with the Miami Dolphins, but was released after pleading no contest to hitting a woman in a nightclub. - NFL Football -
He later played in the NFL Europe and the Canadian Football League, He later played in the Canadian Football League, but was dropped from two teams for behavioral problems.
He was charged in Quebec in late 2003 with sexual assault, assault and uttering threats, apparently against another girlfriend. He was denied entry into Canada last year when he attempted to appear in court on those charges because of his criminal history.

ANDREW DALTON, Associated Press Writer

2005-08-15T09:45:00.000-07:00

Bay Area gets early football battle

SAN FRANCISCO - When Alex Smith and Randy Moss arrived on opposite sides of the San Francisco Bay last spring, the 49ers' rookie quarterback and the Raiders' veteran receiver immediately became the single best reasons to watch their new teams this season.
And when Smith and Moss make simultaneous debuts in the preseason opener Saturday night, fans of both teams will get a double dose of the future in Bay Area football, where an NFL-crazy metroplex hasn't had much to cheer in the last two seasons.
What's more, new San Francisco coach Mike Nolan will be on the sideline at Candlestick Park for the first time, coaching his new 3-4 defense against Oakland's restocked offense, which includes new running back LaMont Jordan. - NFL Football -
It might be the most tantalizing edition of the annual Battle of the Bay - but it's still just a preseason game.
Nolan called it "a semi-rivalry," and players on both sides agree.
"Whatever good or bad that happens in the game, everything will be an indicator to me about where we are as a team," Nolan said. "It will also give me a great idea on the structure we set up for the game, whether it is the coaching staff, the guys in the box or the guys on the field.
"Hopefully, we've got 11 guys on the field every time - not 12, not 10."
And while Moss might break loose for a catch or two, the Raiders plan to keep him safe. Not so for Smith, who will be in San Francisco's starting lineup for at least 20 plays behind an offensive line missing four-fifths of its projected starters. - NFL Football -
"I want to see how he responds to that," Nolan said. "Obviously, they will be after his tail. A lot of those guys would certainly like to get a shot at the rookie, and I want to see how he handles it."
And Smith knows he shouldn't expect any mercy from trash-talking Warren Sapp, speedy Charles Woodson and the Raiders' defense. - NFL Football -
"I'm the No. 1 pick in the draft on the opposing side, so I'll present a nice target for them," Smith said. "I wouldn't expect it any (other) way. The quarterback is always a target, but that's why we have pads, so I'll be all right."
The Raiders wouldn't acknowledge any desire to hurt Smith. Oakland's second training camp under coach Norv Turner has been quiet and productive, but the game will provide the first test of the Raiders' changes. - NFL Football -
"To be honest, I knew Alex Smith was the No. 1 pick, and I knew that he played for the 49ers, but it didn't merge together until probably (Thursday)," said Stanford Routt, Oakland's rookie cornerback. "I just see a quarterback. No. 1 pick, No. 2 pick, they're all good."
While Smith will get a chance to prove his strong training camp hasn't been a fluke, before giving way to Tim Rattay, the Niners already know Moss is the real deal. Oakland's offense, almost as painfully inept as San Francisco's crew at times last season, has high hopes for improvement this season with quarterback Kerry Collins, Jordan and Moss, who has been optimistic and controversy-free in training camp at Napa. - NFL Football -
"I played against the guy two times a year for four years," said Niners safety Tony Parrish, who played for the Chicago Bears while Moss was in Minnesota. "I'm not going to be surprised by anything he can do. Watching what our defense can do, that's more what I'm looking forward to - how we're going to execute our defense, what it's going to look like."
The game also will feature the debut of San Francisco's new 3-4 defensive scheme under Nolan and coordinator Billy Davis. Discerning fans will notice the small differences: four linebackers on the field together, or veteran tackle Bryant Young lined up as a defensive end - even longtime end Andre Carter rushing the passer as the "elephant" lineman-linebacker hybrid.
Turner also downplays the importance of the rivalry, but he remembers the feeling last season when he made his Raiders debut in San Francisco. - NFL Football -
"The first time, I looked up, and it's all silver and black behind us, and it felt like it was a home game," Turner said. "It was a big crowd and it was a loud crowd, a very loud crowd. I'd love it for our young players, because it does give them that feeling of a regular-season game."

GREG BEACHAM
Associated Press

2005-08-09T07:57:00.000-07:00

For rookie, it's Wideout 101

Lee News Network/Chris LeeDante Ridgeway has kept a watchful eye on the ball and his veteran Rams teammates, whom he believes he can learn a lot from in his rookie season Ridgeway hopes to find some receptions in a corps that includes All-Pros Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt. ST. LOUIS - Dante Ridgeway left Ball State University a year early to parlay an exceptional college football career into a lucrative NFL contract, but rest assured he's still being schooled.How can you not ascertain some insight playing the same position with two potential Hall of Famers?Between Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce, Ridgeway's teammates on the St. Louis Rams, the former MacArthur standout has a bit of soaking up to do. The two combine for nearly 20,000 yards of career receiving knowledge.Throw in receivers coach Henry Ellard (13,777 yards receiving) knowing a thing or two about a thing or two catching footballs, and Ridgeway has to do his best sponge impersonation every day."Every practice, sometimes every play, I learn a lot," Ridgeway said from the Rams training facility on Wednesday. "It's usually small things like how to sell a route (to a defender) better or when to turn or not to turn, but every day there is something that you pick up from them."Ridgeway, picked in the sixth round of this year's draft by the Rams, has, so far, shown he can play with the Holts and Bruces of the league, drawing praise from Ellard and head coach Mike Martz.
Ellard likes his ferocity on the field."He's a physical guy that has good hands and good feet," Ellard said. "He attacks the ball. In a combat situation, Dante's going to come out on top. That's something either you have or you don't."Martz likes his size and strength."He has a bigger physical presence than our guys have," Martz said on the Rams Web site. "He is a guy who has a chance to make it on this team. I think I like him a little as a Hines Ward type of player where he doesn't have great speed, but does have great body control and makes plays."You'd think in the cutthroat world of professional football it would be tough to get help from someone you're ultimately trying to take a job from, but the veterans have been like a tutor for Ridgeway.He wasn't surprised."They've got their spots. They're not worried about someone taking them out," Ridgeway said. "They've got nothing to lose and if I can help them win- ."So he watches Holt and Bruce and Marshall Faulk and Orlando Pace trying to glean the slightest edge.One thing they can't help enough with is the playbook.Asked to play two different positions (flanker and wideout), Ridgeway's working double time learning the plays for the toughest offense in the league.That's just another obstacle to overcome for last year's Biletnikoff Award finalist.A knock on Ridgeway has been his speed and his height. He's more than aware of it. He just tries to make the best of what he has to offer."I know I'm not the fastest guy or the tallest," he said. "But God gives you something, you have to find what it is and use it."The only thing you can do is keep on striving, do the best you can and keep the faith."Seems he's learned a little about living too.Troy Hayes can be reached at thayes@;herald-review.com or 421-6970.

TROY HAYES - H&R Staff Writer

2005-07-26T06:39:00.000-07:00

Costas to host NBC NFL show in 2006

NBC will formally announce on Tuesday that Bob Costas will host its Sunday night NFL studio show when the network begins airing Sunday night games in 2006.
The move was first reported by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. - NFL Football -
Costas, whose NBC duties include hosting Olympic coverage, also will get a contract extension at least through NBC's coverage of the 2012 Summer Games.
Also, Fox said Monday that it has signed NFL game analyst Troy Aikman through the 2011 season. - NFL Football -
Aikman has worked in a three-man TV booth with Joe Buck and Cris Collinsworth on Fox's top NFL games. - NFL Football -
But Collinsworth is joining NBC in 2006 and not working for Fox this season, so Aikman will become Fox's top analyst as he works a two-man booth with Buck. Collinsworth already works with Costas on HBO's Inside the NFL. - NFL Football -
NBC hired John Madden last month to be its game analyst for Sunday night games. Madden has another season of Monday Night Football on ABC, whose current NFL deal ends with the Super Bowl as ESPN inherits Monday games. - NFL Football -

Michael Hiestand, USA TODAY

2005-07-18T08:21:00.000-07:00

Orton chosen, White isn't
Purdue QB will likely be backup for Grossman

NEW YORK - Kyle Orton certainly looked like a first-round NFL draft pick when he was tossing touchdowns at a torrid pace and leading Purdue to a 5-0 start.
Then injuries derailed Orton's breakthrough season, and instead of competing with Alex Smith and Aaron Rodgers to be the first quarterback taken, he ended up the first quarterback selected Sunday on the second day of the draft. - NFL Football -
Orton went to the Chicago Bears with the fifth pick of the fourth round, No. 106 overall, and was the seventh of 14 quarterbacks chosen overall, not counting players who'll change positions such as Matt Jones. - NFL Football -
"I thought maybe I would slide maybe to the third round at the latest and really thought I would go somewhere in the second," he said. "I'm really not too worried about it."
At least he got drafted. Oklahoma quarterback Jason White, the Heisman Trophy winner in 2003, didn't. - NFL Football -
On the other hand, Matt Cassel, who was the backup to two Heisman Trophy winners - Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart - at USC and never started a game in college was picked in the seventh round by New England.
Orton was one of several big-name college stars to get the call from the NFL on the draft's second day. - NFL Football -
Louisville quarterback Stefan LeFors, the NCAA's highest-rated passer last season, joined Orton in the fourth round, going to Carolina at No. 121.
LeFors is a Louisiana native like current Carolina starter Jake Delhomme.
"I just met him this past Easter, we went to his house down in Breaux Bridge and it's funny because my wife, they're somehow related through marriage," said LeFors, from Baton Rouge. "As we were leaving his house I said 'Man, it would be great to go there.' "
Minnesota running back Marion Barber III, whose father played for the New York Jets, was selected in the fourth round by the Dallas Cowboys, three picks ahead of running back Ciatrick Fason of Florida, who went to Minnesota. - NFL Football -
Both Barber and Fason passed up their junior seasons to enter the draft.
The San Diego Chargers picked 5-foot-7 running back Darren Sproles, Kansas State's career rushing leader, in the fourth round.
Oklahoma cornerback Antonio Perkins, who owns the NCAA records for punt return touchdowns in a game with three and a career with eight, went to Cleveland with the second pick of the fourth round. - NFL Football -
Two other intriguing players went three picks apart in the fifth round.
Quarterback Adrian McPherson, who played two seasons at Florida State before pleading no contest in 2003 to gambling and stolen check charges, was taken with the 152nd choice by New Orleans. He played in the Arena Football League last season.
Larry Brackins, a wide receiver from Pearl River Community College in Mississippi, went to St. Louis with the 155th pick. The Rams also picked wideout Dante Ridgeway, who left Ball State after leading the country in receiving as a junior, in the sixth round.
Anttaj Hawthorne, one of four players to test positive for marijuana at the combine in Indianapolis, went with the first pick in the sixth round to the Oakland Raiders. The 320-pound defensive tackle from Wisconsin was projected to be a first-day pick, but a mediocre showing at the combine had his stock dropping even before the positive test.
Orton's stock was off the charts early last season, when he threw for 1,642 yards, 18 touchdowns and two interceptions in his first five games. - NFL Football -
At 6-foot-31/2 and 226 pounds, Orton looked like a prototype NFL passer.
But a hip injury in mid-October was a big reason why Orton fell from September star to NFL draft afterthought. Purdue lost four straight after its fast start as Orton tried to play through the injury but never regained that great form. - NFL Football -
"It was just tough," Orton said. "The fact that I got hurt and obviously we got off as a team to a great start and individually I got off to a great start also, and, you know, to get hurt and not be able to play in the tough stretch where we lost four games in a row, it was obviously hard but I thought I bounced back pretty well at the end of the season."
He'll head to Chicago as insurance for Rex Grossman, a first-round pick in 2003 from Florida who had a season-ending knee injury in the third game of last season.
Orton should get every opportunity to be Grossman's backup. The Bears were the worst offense in the league last season and went through three quarterbacks trying to find a replacement after Grossman was injured. - NFL Football -
"To get someone of that caliber in the fourth round, I think it's a great deal," Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner said. "He is a first- or second-round talent. He's a very talented young man."
Orton was 35-for-50 for 366 yards and four TDs against Turner's Illinois team last season.

Ralph D. Russo
The Associated Press

2005-07-11T15:24:00.000-07:00

Tiki Barber makes trip to Israel, visits with children

Giants running back Tiki Barber arrived in Israel this past week at the invitation of former Prime Minister Shimon Peres.
One of his first orders of duty: teaching children how to throw a football.
Barber visited the Palestinian territories Wednesday and was greeted by dozens of giddy children. One of them had a football, but no one knew how to use it. Soon, Barber began showing the children how to catch and throw the ball.
"I thought, 'Now I feel comfortable, now I'm home,'" Barber said Thursday. "I was telling them to keep their elbows up ... they did well."
The nine-year NFL player went to Israel thanks to Peres, who met the football player during a trip to New York earlier this year.
Barber visited religious shrines and also made an appearance on behalf of the Peres Center for Peace. One of the ways the center tries to improve relationships between Israelis and Palestinians is through children playing sports together.
After visiting the Palestinian children, whose freedom of movement is restricted because of Israeli security measures, Barber talked about places in New York where kids think the Hudson and East rivers are their boundaries.
"I'd like to work toward providing young people and older people with opportunities to see something else, allowing them to have ideas in their heads they never would have thought about," he said.
Watching children playing sports together on mixed teams in East Jerusalem, Barber said all the children looked the same to him.
"They're just kids, and I think that gives them a chance as a generation to solve this conflict," he said.
Speed racer
Willie Gault made a name for himself in the NFL with the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Raiders, using his speed to become one of the top playmakers in the league. Now he is using his speed for something else.
Gault set the American 40-and-older record in the 200 meters at 21.80 seconds on June 11 at the Southern California Association USATF Masters Championships in Culver City, Calif. The old American record for the 200 in the M40 age group was 21.86, set by Bill Collins in 1992.
The 44-year-old Gault won USATF athlete of the week honors for his performance. Then last Sunday at the U.S. championships in Carson, Calif., Gault won a masters exhibition 110 hurdles race in 13.87.
Of course, Gault is no stranger to the track. He starred in football and track at Tennessee, and qualified for the 1980 Olympics, which the U.S. boycotted. He also won gold at the 1983 world championships in the 400 relay.
"It's almost like breathing for me -- it's my life's quest, it's my life's ambition," Gault told The Washington Post. "I run because I love it. I run because it makes me happy, I run because it's good for me and I'm going to run until I die."
Rookie learning
The NFL held its ninth annual rookie symposium this week in West Palm Beach, Fla. The four-day orientation introduced the 2005 draft class to life in the NFL before training camps begin.
"This helps the rookies get off to a good start with regard to the new lifestyle they are about to enter," said NFL vice president of player and employee development Michael Haynes, a Hall of Fame cornerback. "The lessons learned at the rookie symposium help players develop personal and professional goals that will sustain them during and beyond their playing careers."
The agenda featured topics including personal finance, life skills, personal conduct, life as a rookie, media policy, substances of abuse, personal experiences, family issues, player development, football operations, NFL security, success in the NFL and life after football.
Good guy
Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner was selected the NFL's No. 1 Good Guy by The Sporting News in its annual awards to athletes from the NFL, NBA, NASCAR and major league baseball.
Nominated by their teams and leagues and chosen by the staff of the magazine, the Good Guys awards honor those athletes who serve and improve their communities by donating their time, energy and money.
Each year, Warner takes up to 10 kids faced with life-threatening illnesses and their families to Disney World for a week. He visited tsunami victims in February, adopted a group home for foster kids in December, taking them all to Christmas Eve dinner, and handed out game tickets to kids touched by faith-based social service outreach agencies.
Last month, Warner participated in the opening ceremony for the Arizona Special Olympics 2005 Summer Games and also represented the Cardinals at the 45th Annual Pop Warner Scholar All-American Banquet in Anaheim, Calif.
Atlanta Falcons running back Warrick Dunn was chosen as the magazine's overall "No. 1 Good Guy in Sports" out of a record 500-plus nominations.
Backstage pass
Paul McCartney gives fans a backstage look at the Super Bowl halftime show during an hour-long program airing on the NFL Network on July 3.
The behind-the-scenes look at the show in Jacksonville last February starts with McCartney's arrival five days before the game between New England and Philadelphia. The show takes viewers through the rehearsals, meetings, news conferences, wardrobe selection, interviews and his entire four-song set.
Cameras followed McCartney from the time he landed in Jacksonville all the way through his departure in this never-before-seen footage.
Not so fast!
It is not so easy to get a quick touchdown against the AFC East. Since the start of the 2003 season, the Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots and New York Jets have surrendered the fewest touchdowns in the NFL on scoring drives of four plays or less.
Each club has allowed only five such touchdowns in the last two years.
The Bills allowed an NFL-low one touchdown on a drive of four plays or less last season. The last team to give up only one such touchdown in a season was the 2001 Chicago Bears.
"We stress that we don't want to give up any big plays early and that we want to make offenses work to get first downs," Bills defensive coordinator Jerry Gray said. "The longer the opposing offense is on the field and the more they have to work for yards, the greater the chance that they will make a mistake, which our defense can capitalize on."

Andrea Adelson / Associated Press

2005-07-06T09:13:00.000-07:00

Heat puts cramp in Crosby’s NFL show
Ex-Clemson receiver improves speed and strength marks before cutting workout short

Former Clemson wide receiver Roscoe Crosby took another step forward Friday in his bid to be selected in the NFL supplemental draft July 14.
“I think I did pretty good,” Crosby said. “But I still have got a lot of work to do.”
Crosby, who checked in at 6-feet-2 and 218 pounds, managed 18 repetitions of 225 pounds and ran a pair of 40-yard sprints in the 4.4-second range during Friday’s pro day at Spring Valley High School and the Total Fitness 4 You training facility.
Crosby’s marks put him among the top 10 wide receivers who were selected in the NFL draft in April. The day came to a premature end when Crosby’s legs cramped during receiving drills as the heat index approached 100 degrees. - NFL Football -
Crosby’s adviser, Kevin Parker, said the setback was minor and Crosby’s overall growth was apparent when compared to his fitness level during his last pro day at Clemson in February.
“Overall he did well. He bested his Clemson numbers, and that’s what we set out to do,” Parker said. “He’s been away from football for three years, so we didn’t expect him to come in here and be a Super Bowl wide receiver.”
Scouts on hand were not overly concerned about the cramps, but free agent quarterback Shaun King, who threw passes for Crosby on Friday and during his unofficial June 10 workout, said the scouts missed out on Crosby’s finest attributes.
“It was so unfortunate that he wasn’t completely healthy because his biggest strength is his route-running and the ability to catch,” King said. - NFL Football -
Former Mississippi State and Grambling State receiver Antonio Hargo took advantage of the situation while trainers worked on Crosby, making several dazzling catches. Hargo was on hand as an extra body to spell Crosby during the receiving drills.
Teams that make selections in the NFL supplemental draft lose an equivalent selection in the following year’s regular draft. For example, if a team drafts a player in the fifth round of the July 14 draft, it will lose its fifth-round pick in the 2006 regular draft. Teams are not obligated to draft a player. - NFL Football -
In 27 previous supplemental drafts, a total of 33 players have been taken.

PATRICK OBLEY
Staff Writer

2005-06-29T11:29:00.000-07:00

LEMOND: Dermontti Dawson UK fan at heart

He is considered one of the greatest centers ever to play in the National Football League and at Kentucky. Dermontti Dawson will always be remembered as one of the best ever to wear the "blue and white". His UK jersey has been retired.
He is considered one of the greatest centers ever to play in the National Football League and at Kentucky. Dermontti Dawson will always be remembered as one of the best ever to wear the "blue and white". His UK jersey has been retired.

Dawson's path to NFL stardom started at Bryan Station High School in Lexington. Recently, Dawson hit the golf course in a fund raiser for his alma mater where he lent his name to help Bryan Station raise money for new football uniforms, equipment and a new field house.

"I've supported UK, and of course I'm going to support Bryan Station because that's where I got my start," Dawson said.

After an outstanding college career at Kentucky, Dawson was a second round draft choice in 1988 by the Pittsburgh Steelers where he replaced Hall of Famer Mike Webster at center. Most NFL observers feel Dawson is also a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame. He'll be eligible for induction next year, although you would never know it by talking to him.

"I have no clue," Dawson said when asked about making the Hall of Fame. "It doesn't matter. I won't let it define me whether I make first ballot or if I don't make it at all. I'm just blessed to be in the position I'm in. I just take it as it comes."

That kind of attitude is what endeared Dawson to football fans at UK and with the Steelers. Surprisingly though, Dawson doesn't keep up with the game as much as fans might expect saying he doesn't miss the game, only 'the guys'.

"I've got other things to keep me busy," he said. "I don't really follow it (the NFL) that much. It's not like I have to be in front of the TV. I did go to a couple of PIttsburgh's playoff games."

Dawson spent his entire 13 year NFL career with the Steelers. He was named the American Football Conference lineman of the year three times. He played in an incredible 170 consecutive games and in seven straight Pro Bowls. He eventually became the highest-paid offensive lineman in Steelers history when he signed for $4.2 million a year. But a lingering hamstring injury forced Dawson to retire from the NFL in 2001. As soon as he hung up his jersey, he returned to his home in Lexington.

Dawson said, "My wife is also from here (Lexington). My family is from here. I wanted my kids to know their family. That's why it was important to come back here."

The former Bryan Station and UK star is also busy giving back to the community that gave so much to him. Dawson has started a "Pro Foundation" that partners with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Bluegrass and the Salvation Army to help kids in the Lexington community. He is also a licensed Real Estate agent and owns several laundromats.

Above all, he has always remained a true UK fan at heart.

By Ryan Lemond

NFL FOOTBALL BET

2005-06-22T08:48:00.000-07:00

State borrows cash Money needed for Saints payment

BATON ROUGE — The state again will borrow the cash needed to make its annual payment to the New Orleans Saints, thanks to a loan arrangement approved Monday, though it's unclear how that borrowing will be repaid or how the state will meet its future obligations to the NFL team.

The state has struggled to pay the Saints for the past few years and has yet to repay the cash it borrowed from an economic development fund last year to make its payment. This time, the state will borrow $10.5 million through a financing mechanism it hasn't used for at least a decade.

Members of the State Bond Commission, which approved the plan Monday, said few options were available after the Legislature adjourned last week without approving a new tax source for the Saints payment or setting aside dollars in the state's budget to make the latest payment, due July 5.

"We have an obligation that we have to live up to. Some of us may not agree that it's the best contract, but it's a contract we have to live up to. The full faith and credit of the state is behind it," said Sen. Diana Bajoie, D-New Orleans.

The state — through the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District, which oversees the operation of the Superdome — will borrow the cash through the sale of a "revenue anticipation note," which assumes that money generated down the line will cover the repayment of the loan.

The head of the LSED and members of the Bond Commission aren't sure where the dollars will come from to repay this loan, however. The Bond Commission's staff, which normally suggests whether items on the agenda should be approved or rejected, didn't make a recommendation on the Saints payment loan, noting that the current money streams available to the LSED aren't sufficient to repay the borrowing.

But the New Orleans-area legislators on the money panel said the loan arrangement was preferable to defaulting on the state's agreement with the Saints and allowing them to leave penalty-free. Andy Kopplin, Gov. Kathleen Blanco's chief of staff who sits on the Bond Commission, said the governor backed the plan as a short-term remedy until a permanent solution could be developed.

Sen. Francis Heitmeier, D-New Orleans, said defaulting on the deal would harm the state's economic development initiatives and indicate Louisiana doesn't honor its contracts.

"What we did today wasn't pretty," said Treasurer John Kennedy, head of the Bond Commission. "If you look strictly at the numbers, you probably wouldn't do this, but there's a story beyond the numbers."

The annual payments to the Saints are part of a 10-year, $186 million agreement negotiated by Gov. Mike Foster's administration in 2001. A $15 million payment is due to the NFL team on July 5, and the state was estimated to be about $9 million short because the revenue sources designed to cover that payment — particularly the New Orleans-area hotel/motel tax — aren't bringing in as much cash as was projected.

The dollars from the loan also will help the LSED pay for insurance costs and other items that haven't been paid while the Superdome commission struggles to make the Saints payments, according to Tim Coulon, head of the LSED.

The debt from the payments to the Saints is compounding. The LSED owes the state economic development fund from which it borrowed last year and must repay this newest loan by Jan. 1, 2007. And the annual payments due to the Saints are scheduled to grow to $20 million next year and to $23.5 million a couple of years later.

The Legislature approved a plan that would put the NFL team in line for some of the tax money generated when slot machines start operating at the New Orleans Fair Grounds in 2007 and thereafter, but officials say that won't bring in enough cash to cover the Saints payments and the money borrowed for them.

"We need a significant amount of money over the long haul," said Doug Thornton, an executive for the company that manages the Superdome, New Orleans Arena and other facilities in the state.

The governor said she still hopes to ultimately renegotiate the deal, but Saints owner Tom Benson has cut off negotiations until after the 2005 football season when the Saints have their first opportunity to negate the current deal with an $81 million payment to the state. The state can opt out of the deal after the 2007 season.

Associated Press