Coaching dads: Tomlin shows fathers how to stay in the game

Coaching dads: Tomlin shows fathers how to stay in the game
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Coaching dads: Tomlin shows fathers how to stay in the
game
Monday, May 21, 2007
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Father's Day is a month away, but the Pittsburgh Steelers' Mike Tomlin believes fatherhood
is always worth celebrating.
The rookie head coach has embraced a cause near to his heart. Mr. Tomlin has become a
spokesman for All Pro Dad, a program that encourages fathers to spend quality time with
their children. Given the sobering statistics about divorce and the growing percentage of
homes in which fathers are absent -- especially in African-American communities -- Mr.
Tomlin could not have found a more worthy cause in which to invest his prestige.
As reported by Post-Gazette Steelers writer Ed Bouchette, the coach's passion is rooted in
painful, then heartening, experience. When Mr. Tomlin was a child, his father left the
family. When his mother remarried, his stepfather stepped into the emotional and parental
void left by his biological dad. Leslie Copeland became the future NFL coach's emotional
support. He worked overnight shifts at the post office so he could coach young Mike's Little
League baseball team.
Mr. Copeland didn't spare his stepson a single advantage, including expensive sports
equipment. This made such an impression on Mr. Tomlin that he has never stopped
expressing his gratitude to the only father he's ever truly known. The men remain close to
this day.
Mr. Tomlin and his wife, Kiya, have three young children. As heretical as it may sound to
some Steelers fans, Mr. Tomlin's career won't take priority over his kids.
Involvement at this level in the lives of children is rare. At a time when popular
entertainment portrays fathers as either clueless windbags or emotionally remote, it's good
to know that men like Mike Tomlin are embracing their roles as fathers wholeheartedly.
Leslie Copeland raised a stand-up guy. Coach Tomlin is returning the favor by reminding us
that every father is an all-pro dad in the making.
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5/21/2007
Cook: Steelers have to sign Polamalu to be fair to Tomlin
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Cook: Steelers have to sign Polamalu to be fair to
Tomlin
Sunday, May 20, 2007
By Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
What a sight Troy Polamalu must have been, relaxing in the hot tub on that cold January
day.
Talk about a great place, a fabulous resort, to just get away to for a few days after the
Steelers played their final game of the Bill Cowher era. A whole season of 8-8 frustration,
not to mention an awful lot of aches and pains, were going up with the steam from the
soothing water. Polamalu's wife, Theodora, was off being pampered, getting a massage. He
had a few quiet moments to himself and was at peace. It's not hard to imagine him sitting
back, closing his eyes, drifting away ...
"Then this old man comes walking up," Polamalu said.
The two chatted, as people tend to do at a hot tub.
"I asked him where he's from," Polamalu said. "He said he lives all over the world. I say,
'No, seriously. What do you do?' He says, 'I own this place.' "
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa.
It was Joe Hardy.
No, there was no sign of Hardy's 22-year-old bride-to-be.
Just in case you were wondering.
"Listen, they're having a surprise 84th birthday party for me today. How would you like to
come?" Hardy asked.
So that's how the Polamalus ended up as special guests at Hardy's table, along with Robin
Williams, Gov. Ed Rendell and Tom Ridge, listening to Bette Midler and Christina Aguilera
sing and watching all the beautiful people at the party of all parties, even if it wasn't much of
a surprise for the very wealthy man of the hour.
"A pretty amazing weekend," Polamalu recalled last week. "We didn't even have clothes
with us. We had to buy everything there."
It was pricey, but Polamalu can afford it.
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5/21/2007
Cook: Steelers have to sign Polamalu to be fair to Tomlin
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One day soon, presumably with the Steelers, he will sign an enormous contract. Maybe it
won't pay him Hardy-like money, but it will make him the highest-paid player on the team.
Don't you wish, Alan Faneca?
The Steelers might be able to get by losing one All-Pro after the coming season. That would
be the unhappy Faneca, who made such an ugly scene at minicamp last weekend when he
went public with his contract conundrum. But the team can't afford to lose a second great
player. It has to find a way to do a new deal with Polamalu, who also will be a free agent
after the season if he isn't re-signed.
If it's an either/or situation, Faneca or Polamalu, the Steelers have to go with Polamalu,
who's right behind Ben Roethlisberger at the top of their most-indispensable-players list.
"He's our playmaker, our star," Steelers linebacker Larry Foote said at minicamp. "We run a
lot of stuff in our defense that's just for him. We can't let him go."
It's nice to think new coach Mike Tomlin has gone to the Rooneys with that same message.
Much has been said and written about the type of defense Tomlin will coach. Will he stick
with the 3-4, zone-blitz scheme that Cowher preferred? Or will he slowly convert to a 4-3,
cover-2 defense that he learned under Tony Dungy? It's a fascinating topic, but the bottom
line never changes: Tomlin needs great players to make either defense work.
The Steelers need Polamalu to be a great defense.
"He's the best player I've ever seen at safety," Cleveland Browns tight end Kellen Winslow
Jr. said last season. "He's phenomenal."
It was in the game at Cleveland last year that Polamalu left no doubt that he's one of the
NFL's special players. On a three-play sequence in the fourth quarter, he used his incredible
closing speed on first down to run down Browns quarterback Charlie Frye for a sack in front
of the Steelers' bench; displayed his toughness on second down by slicing through a mass of
humanity to tackle running back Jason Wright after a 2-yard gain; and showed his
marvelous football instincts on third down by pulling up on a blitz and leaping to bat down
Frye's pass intended for Winslow. The Browns punted, and the Steelers scored a late
touchdown to win, 24-20.
That's why Foote said of Polamalu that day, "I've been playing a long time, and I've never
seen anyone make plays like he makes."
And that's why Foote says now, "His presence alone out there makes you better. Playing
next to him breeds confidence. Knowing he's next to you makes you stronger."
Polamalu is saying little about his contract situation. He says little about just about
everything and says it very quietly. "I don't know what's going on. I'm just living. ... Only
God knows what's going to happen." But Polamalu did add, "Definitely, I'd love to be here.
This is home. I live here year-round. I don't think I have to make a case for that."
Surely, you like reading that more than Faneca's startling promise: "This will be my last
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5/21/2007
Cook: Steelers have to sign Polamalu to be fair to Tomlin
Page 3 of 3
year as a Pittsburgh Steeler." But the reality is, neither statement means much at this point
of the negotiating game. To keep Polamalu, the Steelers are going to have to come up with a
very big number on a contract. He might not be paying attention to the negotiations, but his
agent certainly is.
Polamalu seemed more interested in what's happening with Faneca. "He's somebody
everyone on this team looks up to." Like the Steelers' other veterans, he's wary that Cowher
left, that linebacker Joey Porter was released, that Faneca appears all but gone. "I think
everybody is a little unsure about the direction of the team."
Don't take that the wrong way, though.
In the next breath, Polamalu said, "I think it's good that things are shaken up a little.
Everybody's got to work to establish themselves again. ... There's always apprehension
when there's change. I went through it at USC when coach [Pete] Carroll came in. All of us
were unsure about what was going to happen. That turned out pretty well."
Carroll won big and still is winning big because of great players.
Tomlin needs great players to be successful.
The Steelers want to give their new coach a fair shot?
They have to do a deal with Polamalu.
(Ron Cook can be reached at rcook@post-gazette.com. )
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5/21/2007
Harris: Steelers' conditioning grows in Florida - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
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Steelers' conditioning grows in Florida
By John Harris
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, May 21, 2007
A new coach, Mike Tomlin, means new leadership for the Steelers.
It means players stepping out of their comfort zone and taking one for the team.
Every little thing means a lot. Even offseason workouts.
What began as a couple of players training at the Tom Shaw Performance
Camp at Disney World's Wide World of Sports Complex has evolved into a
Steelers group project.
No fewer than seven Steelers -- including six defensive players and three
projected starters -- have made Orlando an offseason destination when they're
not practicing or training with the team in Pittsburgh.
The players trained in Orlando prior to both minicamps. They'll return to
Orlando following the organized team activities sessions scheduled tomorrow
though June 14. They'll remain in Orlando until training camp opens in July.
Credit cornerback Ike Taylor and linebacker James Farrior with following
Tomlin's advice and assuming more of a leadership role since the departure of
linebacker Joey Porter.
"I'm not a rah-rah guy. I just try to do it by example,'' said Taylor, who has
spoken often with Tomlin about becoming more of a team leader. "I just wanted
to get the guys down there so we can get a feel for each other, especially on
defense. If I can get guys to come to Orlando to work out, then we come back
up here, just that togetherness, that brotherly love, that's all I'm looking for.''
The list of Steelers training in Orlando also includes linebacker Larry Foote,
cornerbacks Bryant McFadden, Ricardo Colclough and Anthony Madison, and
wide receiver Santonio Holmes.
Seventh-round draft pick Dallas Baker, a wide receiver from Florida, trained in
Orlando prior to the NFL Scouting Combine and the draft.
Speaking at the Steelers' recently completed minicamp, Farrior looked like he
was in midseason form.
Shaw -- a noted conditioning expert and speed coach who has trained Farrior
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5/21/2007
Harris: Steelers' conditioning grows in Florida - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
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since his days with the New York Jets -- said Farrior is in better shape now than
he was 10 years ago.
"When I leave here, whenever we don't have (team) obligations, I'm right back
down in Orlando,'' Farrior said. "Ike lives down there. I stay with Ike, or I'll rent a
place.
"Tom Shaw's probably one of the best trainers in the country. It's good to go
down there and get some of that knowledge.''
The players say they enjoy training in Orlando because Shaw not only trains
them hard, he focuses on their specific areas of need.
Farrior led the Steelers with 126 tackles in 2006. At 32, he's training this
offseason to be a more physical player, Shaw said.
Taylor, meanwhile, wants to bounce back from an 8-8 season that included him
missing five starts under former coach Bill Cowher.
"Ike's lifting a lot more this year. James is lifting a lot more -- he's never been
like that this time of year,'' Shaw said. "Ike is trying his best not to let anyone
talk negative about him. He's not leaving a stone unturned. If he's not in
Pittsburgh working out, he's here working out.''
Shaw said former Steelers cornerback Rod Woodson is supposed to come to
Orlando next month to work with Taylor on defensive back techniques.
"Some teams make their kids stay and do their program,'' Shaw said. "And it's
not very specific to what they're doing. The good thing is the Steelers allow their
players to go train where they want to train, or where they feel like they're
getting better.''
Holmes said he came to Orlando last year for the first time after seeing former
Ohio State teammate Michael Jenkins improve his 40 time.
"I got a lot more explosive in my legs and my abs,'' said Holmes, who caught 49
passes for 824 yards and two touchdowns and also returned a punt for a
touchdown as a rookie.
Said Taylor: "We're going to get in great shape, we're going to work. If you're in
great shape, the football aspect just comes natural.''
Tomlin will take take new team leadership wherever he can find it. Orlando
looks like a good place to start.
John Harris can be reached at jharris@tribweb.com or 412-481-5432.
Images and text copyright © 2007 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co.
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5/21/2007
Prisuta: Steelers embrace luxury of 3 TEs - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
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Steelers embrace luxury of 3 tight ends
By Mike Prisuta
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, May 20, 2007
The first time the Steelers tried three tight ends in a non-traditional situation
(non-short yardage) a week ago Saturday in minicamp, Jerame Tuman, Jon
Dekker and Cody Boyd collided on the way to the line of scrimmage.
Let the record show the Steelers' new three tight ends approach was born of
humble beginnings.
But let it also show that offensive coordinator Bruce Arians' the-more-themerrier approach to tight end deployment isn't necessarily a sign of the
apocalypse.
"I have to laugh because everybody thinks if we put two tight ends or three tight
ends in there, we're throwing the ball to 'em," Arians said. "Hell, they're in there
to block. We'll throw it to 'em if they're open. We are blessed with some cats
that can run and catch the football."
And catch it they shall.
Yet, as you continue to recoil in horror while wondering if the scouting
department and coaching staff were collectively "Lost In Spaeth" when they
drafted a tight end from Minnesota in the third round, understand that the idea
is to play three tight ends at a time no more than 15 percent of the time.
Also understand that it's a formation Arians can and has run out of effectively.
"My philosophy, if there's a game that states it, it was when we played the
Steelers in the playoffs when I was coordinating in Cleveland," Arians said.
That would be the oft-cited wild-card game on Jan. 5, 2003, at Heinz Field.
The underdog Browns threw it all over the field and achieved big leads before
finally succumbing, 36-33.
Kelly Holcomb passed for 429 yards, but a drop by Dennis Northcutt with about
2 1/2 minutes remaining ultimately helped Cleveland come undone.
"We knew it was going to be tough sledding, running the football against that
defense," Arians said. "But we felt like we could create some mismatches in the
passing game. And our backup quarterback threw for 400-and-some (yards).
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5/21/2007
Prisuta: Steelers embrace luxury of 3 TEs - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
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"At the end of that game, we had a three-tight end formation out there. And we
busted a run for about 20 yards. We ran the same play again and had a mental
error, or we would have busted it for 20 again. The game would have been
over, and Northcutt wouldn't have had to drop that pass on third down."
So there you have it.
The idea is to create mismatches more than it is to push the creative limits of
tight end involvement.
In January 2003, "We felt our fourth receiver (Northcutt) was better than
Pittsburgh's fourth cornerback (Hank Poteat)," Arians said.
In fall 2007, Arians might ask himself, "Is Heath Miller better on this linebacker
than, say, our third receiver is on their nickel back?"
Should Matt Spaeth help create mismatches for Miller or for himself, the pick
will ultimately be lauded rather than ridiculed.
"The best feeling in the world is when you just pound it 30 times and the game's
over and you win," Arians said. "That's the easy way. But you gotta prepare for
the hard way, too."
That's where all the tight ends may yet justify their presence.
If they can get 'em into formation without bumping into one another, the
Steelers just might be onto something.
Mike Prisuta can be reached at mprisuta@tribweb.com or 412-320-7923.
Images and text copyright © 2007 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co.
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5/21/2007
Will Tomlin have guts to yank Roethlisberger?
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Will Tomlin have guts to yank Roethlisberger?
Mike Tomlin has impressed everybody with the way he's handled himself since the Steelers hired him to
be their head coach in January. He was especially impressive last weekend dealing with the Alan Faneca
fiasco. He has that Chuck Noll, "You can't worry about what you can't control" attitude about him.
The most impressive thing that he said since he got here was to Peter King of Sports Illustrated, who did
a story on Tomlin for this week's issue. Tomlin said, "You know what's funny, people keep asking the
players what they think of me. It's irrelevant. Their job is to play. My job is to evaluate them."
That would be a gutsy statement coming from Bill Parcells or Bill Belichick if they were taking over a
team that had gone several years without winning. Tomlin is a 35-year old rookie head coach and he's
been put in charge of a team that won a Super Bowl the season before last.
This is one confident guy and he should hope that every player on the team has a subscription to SI.
According to King's story, Ben Roethlisberger, in one of his early conversations with Tomlin, told him
that there were some fences that needed to be mended - that a lot of players wanted Russ Grimm or Ken
Whisenhut to get the job. That's a perfect example of a player thinking that the coach has to impress
him. I have a feeling Roethlisberger is about to find out that it's the other way around.
Which brings us around to the original question: If Roethlisberger comes out of the chute throwing
interceptions at the same rate that he threw them last year, how long will it be before Tomlin gives him
the hook?
It's possible that there are people in the Steelers organization - maybe even some players - who have told
Tomlin that the Steelers would probably have made the playoffs last season if Bill Cowher relieved
Roethlisberger with Charlie Batch a time or two.
Maybe Roethlisberger will play the way he did in 2004 and '05 and Tomlin won't be faced with such a
potentially franchise-altering decision early in his first season. But if Roethlisberger is throwing passes
and games away the way he did most of last season, I have a feeling he'll be on the bench before he can
say Kordell Stewart. I'll also bet that, if Roethlisberger doesn't know that now, he'll know it before he
plays in his first exhibition game.
n The World Series lost a little of its charm when they started playing some games at night in 1971.
Then it lost a little more when almost all of the games were played at night. Then it lost a little more
when virtually all of the games lasted until at least 11:30 at night and they were still being played right
up until Halloween. Now, because the Fox Network wants to avoid competing with football on
weekends, Game 1 will be played on Wednesday, Oct. 24th, which could mean the National League
team will have nine days off from the end of the NLCS to the first game of the World Series. Game 7
could be played on Nov. 1.
Here's hoping that it's the Red Sox and the Mets in Game 7 and it's about 24 degrees in Boston with
snow flurries. Be sure to let me know how it turns out.
n By all accounts, Oakmont Country Club has been made so tough for the U.S Open (June 14-17) that it
might produce some record high scores. Some are saying that it could establish Oakmont as the most
difficult open course of them all. If so, get ready for some whining. The players can be pretty picky.
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5/21/2007
Will Tomlin have guts to yank Roethlisberger?
Page 2 of 2
Tiger Woods even had some criticism for the most famous hole in golf - the No. 17 island hole at
Sawgrass. Before last weekend's TPC, Woods said he thought it was a nice hole, but that it shouldn't be
the 71st hole of a major tournament.
Woods is a little too close to the situation to understand that the fans don't care if he doesn't like it. They
like it and they matter more than the players. As it turned out, Sean O'Hare hit two in the water at 17 on
Sunday and not only blew a chance to win the tournament, but fell from second place to ninth. That's
exactly why the island is a perfect spot for 17.
n Ricky Williams likes to smoke pot. He's made that pretty clear. His chances of being reinstated to play
in the NFL this season went up in smoke when he tested positive for marijuana a couple of weeks ago.
Williams could have been drunk every day since Christmas and he would have passed the test with
flying colors, but he's disqualified for what could have been one visit to the bong. Other than the fact
marijuana is illegal and alcohol is not, does that make any sense? If Williams is playing well enough to
satisfy the coach, until or unless he is arrested or does something to embarrass the league, whether he
chooses to alter his consciousness with marijuana or alcohol should be none of the NFL's business.
John Steigerwald is a sports anchor for KDKA-TV and hosts a talk show on WTZN-FM 93.7 from 9-10
a.m. Monday-Friday. He also writes a Sunday column for the Observer-Reporter..
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5/21/2007
Rooneys need to open wallets
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Rooneys need to open wallets
I always heard that the Rooneys were very cheap, that just when we have a good team they won't pay for
talent. The taxpayers pay for a beautiful stadium, and now when it's time to sign a great player like Alan
Faneca the poor boys don't have enough money.
How do they expect new coach Mike Tomlin to do a good job? We all know that Faneca is the best
guard in the NFL, but he is not even ranked among the top 10 guards when it comes to contracts.
Let the Rooneys treat the fans and pay Faneca; they will still have their millions.
Janice Schmitt
Venetia
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5/21/2007
ESPN.com - Green plotting escape from Kansas City
ESPN.com: NFL
Page 1 of 6
[Print without images]
Friday, May 18, 2007
Updated: May 20, 7:09 PM ET
Green plotting escape from Kansas City
By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com
Weary of being a pawn in the ongoing game of who-blinks-first being waged by intransigent club
officials in Miami and Kansas City, veteran quarterback Trent Green may attempt early next week to
poke a finger in the eye of his Chiefs employers in a desperate effort to force a trade to the Dolphins.
Following the script plotted out by Steve McNair last spring in Tennessee, a gambit that eventually
prompted a trade of the veteran quarterback to the Baltimore Ravens for a draft choice, Green plans to
report for duty Monday when the Chiefs commence their round of organized team activities (OTAs).
Despite the contention of Kansas City president/general manager Carl Peterson that Green could still be
the team's starter in 2007, that isn't realistic. Coach Herm Edwards prefers to have second-year pro
Brodie Croyle, the early favorite to win the job, battle journeyman Damon Huard for the No. 1 spot on
the depth chart. Having Green around for the OTAs would only create an unnecessary distraction.
Worse, if Green were to somehow be injured in the workouts, the Chiefs would be liable for his entire
$7.2 million salary in 2007.
When McNair reported for workouts last spring, Tennessee officials requested that he stay away, and for
most of the same reasons Kansas City can't really reconcile having Green around at the practice
sessions. The case in Tennessee was arbitrated, the Titans lost, and McNair was dealt to the Ravens,
whom he led to a division title.
It would probably be a lot less painful for everyone if the Chiefs and Dolphins would just settle on a
compromise when it comes to fair compensation for the 36-year-old Green, and then all parties could
move on. But the Dolphins, convinced the Chiefs will eventually release Green at some point, want to
surrender only a sixth-round pick in return for him. Kansas City is still seeking a fourth-round selection
in the proposed deal.
The Chiefs really don't have any other suitors because Green, who
prefers to be reunited with Dolphins first-year coach Cam Cameron, his
former quarterbacks coach while with the Washington Redskins, won't
agree to a contract with any other club. In fact, Green and agent Jim
Steiner already have an agreement in principle on a deal with the
Dolphins. Of course, that means little until the other half of the equation
is consummated.
One of the NFL's class acts, Green deserves better. And both franchises
have a need to put the deal behind them. Green seems frustrated enough
now to become the catalyst who attempts to end the silly stalemate.
A 14-year veteran, Green has six times thrown for 3,000-plus yards in a
season and has three seasons of 4,000 or more yards. He has completed
2,143 of 3,527 passes for 26,963 yards, with 157 touchdown passes and
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ESPN.com - Green plotting escape from Kansas City
101 interceptions in 112 games, including 107 starts. Until last season,
when he suffered a serious head injury in the opener, Green had proved
to be incredibly durable, and had started every game for the Chiefs since
Kansas City acquired him from St. Louis in a 2001 trade.
Page 2 of 6
Trent Green is taking it upon
himself to end the stalemate
between the Chiefs and Dolphins.
The Dolphins, who still haven't found stability at quarterback since Dan Marino retired following the
1999 season, need Green desperately. And Kansas City, which really doesn't have any viable plans for
him in 2007, badly needs to embark on the post-Green era.
Around the league
• Free agency in Bulger's future? It's virtually impossible in the NFL anymore to have a quarterback
still in his prime hit the open market in free agency. Franchises typically lock up their centerpiece
players with new long-term deals well in advance of the expiration of their current contracts. That's why
it is notable that St. Louis starter Marc Bulger, who never seems to warrant the credit he deserves as one
of the game's top-10 passers, still doesn't have an extension. He is in the final year of his contract, with a
scheduled base salary of $3.95 million.
Bulger turned 30 last month and, given the age at which quarterbacks are
still productive in the league, could have a half-dozen big years still in
his right arm. He has three seasons of 3,500 yards or more and in 2006,
even with new coach Scott Linehan emphasizing the run more with
emerging star tailback Steven Jackson, the Rams' star still managed to
throw for a career-best 4,301 yards and 24 touchdowns.
Marc Bulger
Quarterback
St. Louis Rams
Profile
Bulger never had a howitzer for an arm, but he is very precise, doesn't
2006 SEASON
turn the ball over and has all the intangibles you want at the position. His
STATISTICS
career quarterback rating of 91.3 is impressive. The Rams could always
Att Comp
Yds
TD
Int Rat
588
370
4301
24
8 92.9
use the franchise marker on Bulger next spring if they don't finish off an
extension, but the cost of the tag for the qualifying offer was $12.615
million this year and will be more in 2008. The smart money says that agent Tom Condon and team
president Jay Zygmunt, who have a ton of mutual respect, hammer out a deal before things get close to
crunch time. But if the Rams ever got crazy and allowed Bulger to get to the open market, he wouldn't
lack for serious suitors ready to throw open the vault.
• Rodgers fitting the part? In the midst of the mess surrounding Brett Favre the past week, this tidbit
from Cheeseland: Although third-year quarterback Aaron Rodgers hasn't been able to do much work on
the field this spring as he rehabilitates his surgically repaired left foot, those who have seen the 2005
first-rounder throw say that his arm looks much stronger than in the past. The doubters still contend that
Rodgers is a system passer and that his college numbers were inflated at the University of California,
and that may still turn out to be the case. But word is that Rodgers physically looks more like an NFLcaliber quarterback now, albeit one who needs playing time more than he did his first two seasons.
• Conflicting agendas: On the Favre front, ESPN analyst and Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young
pretty neatly articulated the rub this week in explaining the polar agendas of the Packers' star and Green
Bay general manager Ted Thompson. "As an organization, I think they are fundamentally looking to
build a championship football team, not necessarily building for tomorrow to help Brett win a
championship," said Young, during an appearance on ESPN Radio. "So those two things don't [mesh].
It's not against anybody. It's just that they are not going to [mesh]. When I found that out with the 49ers
in 2000, I retired. … If we weren't going for a championship [that year], I was at an age where that's not
what I wanted to do. Brett decided differently, like Jerry Rice [who stuck around]."
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ESPN.com - Green plotting escape from Kansas City
Page 3 of 6
• Rayburn making the rounds: As anticipated last Friday when the Philadelphia Eagles released
defensive tackle Sam Rayburn following their failed efforts to trade him, the four-year veteran is finding
a pretty solid market as a free agent. Rayburn met this week with Buffalo officials -- who despite having
an already deep tackle corps with Larry Tripplett, Darwin Walker, Tim Anderson, John McCargo, Kyle
Williams and Jason Jefferson, continue to try to add to the position -- and has other visits arranged.
Rayburn, 26, will meet with the New York Giants the middle of next week, ESPN.com has learned, and
could then go to San Francisco, where the 49ers are intrigued by his potential as a 3-4 end.
Rayburn had five seasons left on his contract in Philadelphia, but he and agent Jason Brown are
probably leaning toward a one-year deal wherever he signs next. The key is to find the spot where
Rayburn can get the most playing time, put up some healthy numbers and then make some real money
as an unrestricted free agent next spring. For that reason, Rayburn will be a little selective about where
he signs next, and might take a week or two to narrow his best options. Rayburn earned a spot on the
Eagles' roster as an undrafted college free agent in 2003. In four seasons, he notched 98 tackles, nine
sacks, two forced fumbles, one recovery and one pass defensed in 52 games, including four starts. His
best season was in 2004, when Rayburn had 46 tackles and six sacks, despite playing mostly in a backup
role. He was the victim of an overstocked tackle depth chart, a real rarity in the NFL, in Philadelphia.
The Bills, by the way, might have enough depth to actually dangle one of their veterans, most likely
Anderson, around the league in trade talks.
• Adams still valuable: On the subject of defensive tackles, don't start shoveling dirt just yet on Sam
Adams, the 13-year veteran run-stuffer released by Cincinnati this week in a move meant to infuse some
young blood into the position. Adams is 33, had clean-up surgery on a balky knee this spring, rarely
worries about offseason conditioning and typically shows up at training camp having to play his way
into shape. But the veteran still does one thing well: He clogs the interior because he eats up blockers
like Pacman (the arcade game, not the banished cornerback) eats power pills. And anyone who can
command double-teams the way Adams does, anchoring against the run by occupying two offensive
linemen on virtually every play for the first two downs, is going to have some sort of market in the
league.
Guys like Adams are, quite simply, hard to find. And so no one should be surprised if the following
transpires: Adams, who has a ton of business interests in the Pacific Northwest, will sit around for much
of the remaining spring, survey the lay of the land around the league, then start worrying about a job a
week or so into training camps. Some team, or teams, we're betting, will offer him a job. One such team
could be Denver, where new coordinator Jim Bates is still looking for more interior size. The Broncos
toyed with the idea of pursuing Kris Jenkins of Carolina in a trade last month, then backed away.
Beyond a contract, no one will have to surrender anything to get the free agent Adams now.
• Johnstone drawing interest: One outside defensive lineman who is beginning to generate some
interest, and who figures to land a job before training camp, is end Lance Johnstone. The 11-year
veteran was released by the Oakland Raiders last month after a 2006 campaign in which he had just two
sacks, the fewest since his 1996 rookie season. Still, there appear to be a couple teams that are willing to
gamble (but probably only at a minimum salary with incentives) that Johnstone, who will turn 34 in
June, still has enough juice left to get them 6-8 sacks as a situational rusher.
In the three-year stretch from 2003 to '05, he had 28½ sacks, including 10 in 2003 and 11 in 2004. There
is suspicion in some quarters that Johnstone, who has 72 career sacks and four seasons of double-digit
sacks, has lost a critical half-step. But some team will probably bring him to camp to find out if that's the
case or if 2006 was an aberration.
• Brown likely staying put: Three weeks ago in this space, we reported that the Chicago Bears were
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shopping starting right defensive end Alex Brown in trade talks. This week, the five-year veteran
revealed on radio that he has sought permission to seek out potential deals. But don't bet the house, at
least not yet, that Brown is wearing a new uniform in 2007.
Even though the Bears feel they now have two excellent young weakside Alex Brown
pass-rushers in second-year end Mark Anderson (12 sacks in 2006) and
rookie second-rounder Dan Bazuin of Central Michigan (35 career sacks Defensive end
in college), they aren't just going to surrender Brown in a giveaway deal. Chicago Bears
Profile
And even though he is curious about his market value, Brown isn't
inclined to just go anywhere. A solid two-way defender, the former
University of Florida star has never really developed into the weakside
2006 SEASON
pass-rusher many felt he would be at the NFL level, so it's debatable
STATISTICS
what he might be worth to another team. Brown has 27 sacks in his
Tot Solo
Ast Sack
Int
FF
47
41
6
7
2
3
career, with a career-best seven in 2006, and 20 in the past three seasons.
He has three years remaining on his contract, at base salaries of
$595,000 (2007), $550,000 (2008) and $670,000 (2009). To agree to a trade, he would likely want a new
contract. To his credit, Brown plans to attend the team's mandatory three-day minicamp this weekend.
Unless a lot of circumstances fall into place, chances are Brown will still be with the defending NFC
champions when the season starts.
• Oliver's only option: The league's supplemental draft gained an interesting name on Thursday night
when ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach reported that University of Georgia cornerback Paul Oliver was
declared academically ineligible for 2007 by school officials and will petition the NFL for inclusion in
the special-cases lottery this summer. Teams have become increasingly reluctant to invest much on
players in the supplemental draft. And the case of former Southern California defensive tackle Manny
Wright, chosen by Miami in July 2005 and a bust now with two franchises, certainly won't make them
more eager to forfeit a selection in the regular draft to gamble on a supplemental prospect.
Oliver, though, is a defender of some pedigree and might be worth a look. The rising senior has good
size (just a shade under 6 feet, 205 pounds), nice speed (estimated at the mid-to-high 4.4s) and skills as a
tenacious cover guy. Teams can never have enough cornerbacks, of course, and Oliver will elicit more
than just casual curiosity. Notable is that Oliver, who started 15 games in 2006 and blanketed Georgia
Tech star wide receiver Calvin Johnson, flirted with the notion of bypassing his senior season and
entering this year's regular draft. He actually submitted his name to the league's underclass advisory
board, but apparently didn't like its assessment of his draft stock. Now, out of school and out of
eligibility, he really has little recourse but to go into the supplemental draft this summer.
• Increased role for Willis The Seattle Seahawks haven't gotten a lot out of offensive lineman Ray
Willis, a fourth-round pick in 2005 who has appeared in only seven games in two seasons, but that could
change in 2007. Because of injuries, the former Florida State standout got increased playing time in
minicamp, and performed well at right guard. Willis could challenge the time-sharing tandem of
veterans Chris Gray and Floyd "Pork Chop" Womack at right guard or even push starting right tackle
Sean Locklear for his job. But the biggest key to how the Seahawks' blocking unit aligns, particularly at
the three interior sports, remains the health of center Chris Spencer, who is still rehabilitating his two
surgically repaired shoulders. The prognosis remains that Spencer won't need further surgery and should
be ready for training camp.
• The list: Not counting the selection of guard Ben Grubbs last month, Ozzie Newsome has chosen 13
players in the first round of NFL drafts since being named the Baltimore Ravens' vice president of
player personnel (and subsequently general manager) in 1996. Of those 13 players, eight have been to
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the Pro Bowl, seven have been to multiple Pro Bowls and the total Pro Bowl appearances the group has
accumulated is 32. The list of Ravens' first-round Pro Bowl performers Newsome has selected: offensive
tackle Jonathan Ogden (1996), 10 games; middle linebacker Ray Lewis (1996), seven; outside
linebacker Peter Boulware (1997), four; cornerback Chris McAlister (1999), three; strong safety Ed
Reed (2002), three; tight end Todd Heap (2001), two; linebacker/defensive end Terrell Suggs (2003),
two; and tailback Jamal Lewis (2000), one.
• Stat of the week: Pittsburgh guard Alan Faneca, unhappy with a contract that will pay him $4.375
million this year between a roster bonus and base salary, has been named to six Pro Bowl games. The
four guards who this spring all signed contracts that average $6-7 million per year -- Leonard Davis
(Dallas), Kris Dielman (San Diego), Derrick Dockery (Buffalo) and Eric Steinbach (Cleveland) -- have
zero Pro Bowl appearances among them. Faneca has vowed that this will be his final season with the
Steelers.
• Punts: Despite the positive rhetoric emanating from the Atlanta coaches about Jimmy Williams, the
jury remains out on the team's top pick from the 2006 draft. A second-rounder (the Falcons didn't have a
first-round selection last year), Williams is making the move from cornerback to free safety. He looks
the part physically, but is still struggling at the new position. The new staff has all but decided that
Williams doesn't have loose enough hips to play corner at the NFL level. … Detroit is considering
signing nickel cornerback Juran Bolden, recently released by Tampa Bay, to a one-year deal. Lions
coach Rod Marinelli is familiar with the veteran corner from their days together with the Bucs and likes
his physical nature. … Twelve-year veteran wide receiver Rod Smith of Denver is still rehabilitating
from left hip surgery and might not be fully recovered until right about the time camp opens. … Even
before he started to deteriorate physically in Atlanta, where he suffered a ruptured Achilles in 2005 and
had surgeries on both knees that shortened his 2006 season, linebacker Ed Hartwell had begun to rub
veterans the wrong way. A noted trash-talker, Hartwell came to the Falcons as a big-money free agent in
2005 but, as the new guy in the lineup, tried to usurp the leadership role of guys like Keith Brooking in
the locker room. Hartwell is already drawing crooked looks from Cincinnati veterans who are weary of
his mouthiness and wonder if it's just a façade to camouflage the fact he's a guy in decline. … The
Bengals' coaching staff, by the way, is starting to wonder if fourth-year safety Madieu Williams is ever
going to regain the form of his 2004 rookie season. The Bengals felt they had a potentially special player
in Williams a few years ago, but he's looked pretty ordinary of late. … New York Jets coach Eric
Mangini has recruited boxing trainer and analyst Teddy Atlas to help the players with offseason
conditioning work. One day a week, Atlas works with players on elements like balance and hand
placement. … Among the topics that commissioner Roger Goodell will discuss with owners at next
Tuesday's league meeting in Nashville will be an update on the so-called "concussion symposium" next
month. He is also expected to discuss the league's perceived lack of support for older retired players. …
Goodell is not likely to hand down a decision on the possible suspension of Chicago Bears defensive
tackle Tank Johnson before the middle of next week.
• The last word: "The great thing is, he breaks the huddle, and he doesn't have that quizzical look on his
face. You know he's going to be ahead of the curve at some point. Coming out of the huddle, bam, he's
out there. You see guys who have been in it for a year, and they've still got that 'I'm not quite sure what
I'm supposed to do' [look]. He doesn't have that look. He's either fooling us all or he knows what he's
doing."
-- Detroit quarterback Jon Kitna, after a minicamp practice this week, on Lions first-round wide receiver
Calvin Johnson.
Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer at ESPN.com.
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Steelers OC Looking For Whatever Mismatch He Can Find - Sports Blog - The FanHouse
Page 1 of 1
Steelers OC Looking For Whatever Mismatch He Can Find
Posted May 20th 2007 9:03PM by JJ Cooper
Filed under: Steelers, AFC North
Mike Prisuta has a very solid column today that tries to get inside the brain of new offensive coordinator
Bruce Arians. What he finds is that Matt Spaeth or no Matt Spaeth, Arians seems to be focused on giving
some more versatility to the Steelers offense next season.
Arians does a good job of explaining what he does by pointing to the 2003 playoff game between the Browns
and Steelers. In that game, Arians decided that his Browns wouldn't have much luck running against one of
the best run defenses in football, so he spread the Steelers out all day, going four wide against a pass defense
that was stuck playing the tiki torch otherwise known as Hank Poteat.
"We felt our fourth receiver (Northcutt) was better than Pittsburgh's fourth cornerback (Hank Poteat)," Arians
said.
The result was a 400+ yard passing game for Todd Holcomb. The Browns may have lost, but Arians' approach that day was sound.
What Arians is saying is that against a poor run defense, he's likely to throw some three tight-end formations out there, and try to cram a lot of Willie
Parker down the opponents' throat. But if the team has a great run defense but a porous pass defense, Arians is just as happy going four wide and
asking Ben Roethlisberger to win the game.
All in all, I can agree completely with that approach. For years the Steelers didn't have the versatility to do both, but with Willie Parker, the Steelers
now have a running back who is just as suited for spreading a defense out as he is for pounding it out of a three-tight end set, and in Ben
Roethlisberger, if he returns to his 2004-2005 form, the Steelers have a quarterback who can
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