Here Come the Weekend

This may appear outdated, and it is, but finally, we have the video of our athletic challenge at Cowboys Camp this year. Here is the video of BaD Radio trying to catch NFL Punts from NFL Punters. Matt McBriar and Sam Paulescu. Please note the only competitor to catch a punt from McBriar (The one who will actually play in the NFL this year) was the bald guy.

The 2007 Punt Catch Challenge



Owens late; apologizes …

Terrell Owens offered an apology to Cowboys coach Wade Phillips for being late. Phillips wanted his tardy receiver to apologize to somebody else.

"Don't apologize to me, apologize to your teammates," Phillips told Owens.
Owens, who was late for the morning practice Thursday against the Denver Broncos, apologized to his teammates.

"It's all right. It's cool," said Owens, after he sat out the Thursday afternoon practice to rest his hamstring. Owens was scheduled to take the practice off. "[Phillips] already addressed it, so there is no need for me to address it."
Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones said the reason Owens was late to practice was because he was stuck in traffic.

When asked if he was disappointed about Owens' tardiness, Jones said: "No. No. No. That's between him and [Wade]. They have that all worked out with the coach. I'm not there. Whatever his reasons were, he and Wade worked that out and that's good. Both were very satisfied with how it got worked out. That's not an issue here."

Owens arrived several minutes late to the 9 a.m. practice with the Broncos at the Cowboys' Valley Ranch headquarters.

When he arrived he stretched with strength and conditioning coach Joe Juraszek while the team had already began workouts.

A trainer also brought a nutritional bar for Owens to eat while he was stretching.
Owens' tardiness is his first known "problem" since Phillips replaced Bill Parcells. Owens was fined for being late to team meetings last season. It is not known if he was fined for being late Thursday.

Owens has said in the past he evaluated some of the incidents that happened last year and has matured.

Phillips has already shown he'll crack down on players who don't adhere to team rules. During training camp in San Antonio, Phillips released tight end Andy Thorn after he broke curfew. He also made rookie fullback Deon Anderson and another player apologize to their teammates after they showed up late for a special teams practice.
It was during that session Phillips screamed at his team about being professional, and not to take advantage of an atmosphere less rigid than last year.

Owens spoke up during that session and said the players need to be accountable to each other.

A nice moment at practice yesterday as the tragedy comes full circle …

The Denver Broncos wrapped their arms around Rosalind Williams on Thursday afternoon.
Williams, the mother of slain Broncos and former Fort Worth Wyatt cornerback Darrent Williams, and several family members attended the team's practice with the Cowboys at Valley Ranch. She had reservations about watching the team, but left the field all smiles and surrounded by her late son's teammates.

"To have her out here today was a very special day," Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said. "I know it was very tough for her."

Shanahan brought Rosalind Williams into the post-practice huddle and had her break the team on the slogan "All ready." Williams also spent time with the coaches and players at the team hotel. Shanahan said Rosalind was happy she decided to attend practice.

"She is going to be a pivotal part of our team," Broncos fullback Kyle Johnson said.
During practice, Broncos receiver Javon Walker, who was with Darrent Williams the night he was shot and killed, and Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens spoke with the family. Owens gave Rosalind Williams a football and both players posed for pictures with the family.

"It definitely puts life in perspective, your job in perspective, and it makes you realize what's most important for you," Owens said.

After practice, Rosalind Williams hugged players before they boarded the team bus. It was the first time she had seen the team since Darrent's death on Jan. 1.

Vick’s lawyers encourage him to take the deal …

Michael Vick’s lawyers have advised him to accept a plea deal from federal prosecutors in his dogfighting case, according to a person with direct knowledge of the case.

Vick has until 9 a.m. Friday morning to accept the deal, the person said. The deal would most likely come with a recommendation from prosecutors that Vick, the Atlanta Falcons quarterback, be sentenced to one to two years in prison.

The person was granted anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the case publicly.

If Vick decides not to take the deal, prosecutors plan on bringing more charges against him.

Vick faces three felony charges related to dogfighting and could face up to five years in prison and as much as a $250,000 fine.

Two of Vick’s three co-defendants — Purnell A. Peace, 35, of Virginia Beach, and Quanis L. Phillips, 28, of Atlanta — were scheduled to plead guilty Friday morning at the federal courthouse here in front of United States District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Tony Taylor, the third defendant, pleaded guilty in the case July 30 and agreed to testify against the others. Peace and Phillips are also expected to help the government’s case in return for lighter sentences.

Despite the absence of Vick’s name on Judge Hudson’s schedule for Friday, Vick could still make his plea in an arrangement between his lawyers, the government and the court.

Although time appears to be running out for Vick, a guilty plea would put the National Football League on surer footing.

Last month, Commissioner Roger Goodell appointed Eric Holder, a former deputy attorney general, to investigate the Vick case and recommend a punishment for Vick. Holder, who is relying only on public documents, has not made a recommendation to Goodell, the league said.

Although public support has turned against Vick, it may be harder for the N.F.L. to suspend him for a long period of time if he has not admitted to or been convicted of a crime. But if Vick agreed to plead guilty, the league could suspend him for violating its conduct policy because he would have admitted to violating the law.
His penalty would be decided by Goodell, who has wide-ranging powers to punish players.

John Clayton answers Vick questions with remarkable answers ….Arena Football League???

What are his chances of getting back into the NFL?

Not good. It would take a general manager with a lot of wins on his résumé to go to his owner to suggest picking up Vick. An owner would have to endure the backlash. First, Vick would be a public relations nightmare. PETA would stage protests. There might be a backlash from season-ticket holders who could protest having a convicted dogfighter quarterbacking their team. Suite holders might want to drop their leases. Only general managers as strong as Bill Polian of the Colts or Ozzie Newsome of the Ravens would have the clout with their owners to make such a suggestion, but it's unlikely from a football and public relations sense that either would do it.

How desperate would a team have to be to take a chance on him?

Aside from the public relations problems, a team taking Vick would have to reshape its offense. Vick has evolved into a quarterback who works better in a running offense, and teams are looking for passers, not runners. In the past three seasons, Vick has been part of the league's No. 1-ranked rushing team. Coaches and general managers know a good running team can get to eight or nine wins quickly, but it's hard for a running team to get over the hump and win playoff games. Running teams usually don't score more than 20 points a game unless the defense gets points on turnovers.

The other problem is Vick is left-handed. If a team has a great left tackle, the offensive line would have to switch around to protect Vick from blind-side sacks. Vick also has trouble getting into a rhythm with his receivers because he is so fast in his retreat from center.

Will Vick play football again?

Somebody will take a chance, but it might be in the Arena Football League. The CFL might be a problem. Because CFL general managers protested about the Ricky Williams signing two years ago in Toronto, that league is reluctant to take on players who have been convicted. If convicted, it might be hard for Vick to secure a visa to play in Canada. Vick would be unstoppable in the Arena League. If he played in it for a season or two and on his best behavior, he could give fans a chance to forget even though they might not forgive.

Sunday Morning – Sports Gold Chelsea visits Liverpool …

Rafael Benitez insists he 'does not enjoy' his war of words with Jose Mourinho but the Liverpool boss could not resist responding to his Chelsea counterpart's jibes ahead of the first major showdown of the season.

The pair resume their fierce rivalry on Sunday when Mourinho brings his team to Anfield.

The colourful Portuguese did not even wait for the season to start before declaring the pressure was really on Benitez to deliver following the Spaniards' £40million summer spending spree.

But the Reds' boss retorted: 'I thought Jose had said he wouldn't be talking about other clubs this season. Maybe he's already forgotten that.'

Benitez insists one summer of increased activity has not changed a thing.

He said: 'You only have to look at who are the clubs who have spent most over the last five seasons, and there are two, Chelsea and Manchester United, and they have won most of the trophies.

'If you analyse who finished top of the table last season, who have spent more money in those years, it is clear and simple there are two teams ahead of the others in terms of money, spending and also titles won.

'And I always say that (Chelsea owner Roman) Abramovich has done a really a good job, that is the key!'

Benitez is expected to field skipper Steven Gerrard tomorrow, despite his talismanic captain suffering a hairline fracture of the big toe on his right foot.

And the Liverpool manager feels under no more pressure now than before he spent big this summer.

He said: 'I do not feel more pressure because I have bought players, and I would rather it was not about me and Jose all the time, I would prefer it to be about Gerrard, (Chelsea captain John) Terry and the other players - they are more important than us.

Here is the English Football Weekend Viewing Guide – Sunday is a wonderful doubleheader.

Sat Aug 18 06:40AM Central
Setanta Sports USA
Portsmouth vs Bolton Wanderers

Sat Aug 18 08:55AM Central
FOX Soccer Channel (FSC) - US
Reading vs Everton

Sat Aug 18 08:55AM Central
Setanta Sports USA
Tottenham Hotspur vs Derby County

Sat Aug 18 11:00AM Central
FOX Soccer Channel (FSC) - US
Newcastle United vs Aston Villa

Sun Aug 19 07:25AM Central
Setanta Sports USA
Manchester City vs Manchester United

Sun Aug 19 10:00AM Central
FOX Soccer Channel (FSC) - US
Liverpool vs Chelsea

Newberg on Gorman Thomas …



Mark Teixeira Song



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