Great Effort

News for 8/14/09

NCAA Football Preview - Washington Huskies
Seattle Post Intelligencer - John Agovino - ‎Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - 2008 SEASON IN REVIEW: The fans and anyone a part of the Washington ...

NCAA Football Preview - Stanford Cardinal
Seattle Post Intelligencer - John Agovino - Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - 2008 SEASON IN REVIEW: Home is where the heart is and for Stanford, ...

Gator football career over for Lakeland's Wilson
Tampa Tribune - David Jones -"The foot that re-broke, because of what our receivers are asked to do as far as planting and pushing off, he's been advised not to play football. ...

Lions Football!: Preseason game one preview
Examiner.com - It's Detroit Lions football. Which is to say, and in my excitement I shall toss aside all the rules of grammar, IT'S DETROIT LIONS FOOTBALL! ...

Some Fans Angry That Vick Will Play Football Again
ABC News - Emily Friedman - Michael Vick, convicted felon and newly signed Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, told fans today that he is excited about the opportunity ...

Efforts to reform BCS face tall order in Congress
The Associated Press - Frederic J. Frommer - ‎Joe Barton had a plane to catch, but he wanted to give college football officials a warning before leaving the highly publicized hearing. ...

Utah football: Wynn is big man on campus, for now
Salt Lake Tribune - Lya Wodraska - This is a moment for which he has been working ever since his father introduced him to football when he was 4-years-old. Although he dabbled in other sports ...

Lightning hits Ga. teen at football practice
Atlanta Journal Constitution - AP A 14-year-old boy was struck by lightning and seriously injured during football practice at a private school in rural Evans County, authorities said. ...

NCAA Football Preview - California Golden Bears
Seattle Post Intelligencer - John Agovino - Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - 2008 SEASON IN REVIEW: Usually nine wins in a season is recognized as ...

NCAA decertifies Balogun's eligibility
ESPN - Tim Griffin - Oklahoma senior linebacker Mike Balogun's eligibility has been decertified by the NCAA because of his previous participation in a semi-pro football league, ...

NCAA Football Preview - Boise State Broncos
Seattle Post Intelligencer - Gregg Xenakes - Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - 2008 SEASON IN REVIEW: In what was a down year in the Western ...

Eli signs deal, yawns, and now back to football
New York Daily News - Ralph Vacchiano - Eli Manning signed his six-year, $97.5 million contract extension this morning and reacted the way he's reacted to just about everything in his five years ...

NCAA Football Preview - USC Trojans
Seattle Post Intelligencer - John Agovino - Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - 2008 SEASON IN REVIEW: Since 2002, the USC Trojans have conquered the ...

Notre Dame Fighting Irish 2009 College Football Predictions, Picks ...
Sports-Odds.com - Sports Betting Odds - Pat Spence - Notre Dame Fighting Irish UNDER 8.5 WINS for the season is among the top college football picks on the board currently at Sportsbook.com. ...

NCAA Football Preview - UCLA Bruins
Seattle Post Intelligencer - John Agovino -Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - 2008 SEASON IN REVIEW: Rick Neuheisel's first year at UCLA did not go ...

NCAA Football Preview: Ohio State Buckeyes
Big Ten Network - Mike Castiglione - While many pundits wrote OSU off following that showing, the Buckeyes knew they were a better football team and were determined to prove it. ...

NCAA Football Preview - West Virginia Mountaineers
Seattle Post Intelligencer - Pat Taggart - Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - 2008 SEASON IN REVIEW: Is there a more consistent program in the ...

Civility on the college gridiron: Teams to hold pregame handshake
USA Today - Steve Wieberg - "It is symbolic," says former Baylor coach Grant Teaff, who heads the Texas-based American Football Coaches Association. "But it is, we think, ...

NCAA Football Preview - Nevada Wolf Pack
Seattle Post Intelligencer - Gregg Xenakes - Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - 2008 SEASON IN REVIEW: The Nevada Wolf Pack set itself up for a ...

UH waiting for NCAA to rule on eligibility for football
Houston Chronicle - Steve Campbell - Because Mitchell left abruptly, there was speculation his departure was connected to the ongoing investigation of three Morton Ranch football coaches who ...

Changing faces of fantasy wide receivers will impact drafts
NFL.com Illustration Calvin Johnson, Andre Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald and Randy Moss headline the top fantasy wideouts for 2009. Running backs will be the prominent position taken in the first two rounds of most drafts, but wide receivers will be a close second.
Michael Fabiano

Jones-Drew, Bowe on list of 2009 fantasy breakout candidates
Sam Greenwood / Getty Images Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew should post career numbers for fantasy football owners in 2009. Success in the world of fantasy football is all about the numbers. If your fantasy players exceed their statistical...
Michael Fabiano

Gonzalez, Rice could become solid sleepers for fantasy owners
Doug Pensinger / Getty Images Bills quarterback Trent Edwards should post the best numbers of his career with Terrell Owens in the mix. The term "sleeper" has several definitions. But in the world of fantasy football, it refers to a player who...
Michael Fabiano

Flying to Philly: Reinstated QB Vick signs contract with Eagles
By halftime of Thursday night's preseason opener, the Lincoln Financial Field crowd was buzzing: Michael Vick was a Philadelphia Eagle. Suddenly, no one seemed to care much about the game against the New England Patriots. All that mattered to most Eagles fans was that...

Bennett, Morgan headline the list of fantasy super sleepers for 2009
Charlie Riedel / Associated Press Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles showed flashes of potential in his rookie season with the Chiefs. Sometimes in fantasy football, the players you least expect to make an impact (mostly because you'd never heard of them...
Michael Fabiano

NFL.com 2009 fantasy wide receiver rankings (31-45)
Quarterbacks Running backs Tight ends Kickers Defenses Team Player Analysis Green Bay Packers 31. Donald Driver (Auction: $4) Driver posted his fifth consecutive 1,000-yard season in 2008. However, the emergence of Greg Jennings, not to mention several other...

NFL.com 2009 fantasy wide receiver rankings (61-70)
Quarterbacks Running backs Tight ends Kickers Defenses Team Player Analysis Kansas City Chiefs 61. Mark Bradley (Auction: $1) Bradley failed to meet expectations in three-plus seasons with the Bears, but made a fantasy impact in 2008 with the Chiefs. However,...

What the Vick signing means to the Eagles
After dramatically retooling their offense with a series of blockbuster moves during the offseason, the Eagles have made their biggest gamble to bolster the unit by signing Michael Vick on the night of their preseason opener. The Eagles agreed to a two-year deal with...
Bucky Brooks

Despite tumultuous past, Blank hopeful Vick has learned from his mistakes
Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank didn't watch Michael Vick's news conference Friday, when Vick was introduced as the newest member of the Philadelphia Eagles. He missed Vick's apologies and admission of wrongdoing for fighting dogs, a crime that cost him...
Steve Wyche

Vick says he has to live with 'shame' and 'embarrassment'
PHILADELPHIA -- A remorseful Michael Vick wants a second chance and vowed to crusade for animal rights with the Philadelphia Eagles -- and knows he won't be easily forgiven by fans. "I know I've done some terrible things, made a horrible mistake. Now I want to...

Signing status of 2009 NFL Draft first-round picks
Pk Player Pos. Team Status Contract 1. Matthew Stafford QB Detroit Signed 6 years, $72 million ($41.7M guaranteed) 2. Jason Smith OT St. Louis Signed 5 years, $61.775 million ($33M guaranteed) 3. Tyson Jackson DE Kansas City Signed 5 years, $57 million ($31M guaranteed) 4....

McCarthy says Packers 'close' to signing first-round draft pick Raji
GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Packers coach Mike McCarthy said the team was close to signing first-round draft pick B.J. Raji on Thursday night, potentially ending a contract holdout that has lasted nearly two weeks. B.J. Raji, DT Green Bay Packers Experience: Rookie ...

Broncos WR Marshall found not guilty of misdemeanor battery
ATLANTA -- A jury in Atlanta found Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall not guilty of misdemeanor battery against his former girlfriend, announcing its verdict Friday after about an hour of deliberations. Marshall had faced two counts of simple battery stemming from a...

First-round pick Monroe agrees to five-year deal with Jags, ending holdout
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- First-round draft pick Eugene Monroe has ended a 12-day holdout by agreeing to a five-year contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Signing status of top picks Check out the contract terms of each first-round draft pick who has signed this year and...

Giants QB Manning makes it official, signs six-year, $97 million extension
ALBANY, N.Y. -- New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning is officially the NFL's highest-paid player. A little more than a week after reaching a tentative agreement, Manning signed the six-year extension that could keep him with the team through 2015 and will pay him an...

Panthers WR Smith back at practice just four days after injuring shoulder
SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- Four days after kicking his helmet in disgust and climbing into a golf cart believing his shoulder was broken, Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith was smiling and throwing tight spirals. Steve Smith, WR Carolina Panthers 2008...

First-round pick Raji signs contract with Packers, ending holdout
GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Green Bay Packers signed first-round draft pick B.J. Raji on Friday, ending the defensive lineman's nearly two-week holdout from training camp. B.J. Raji, DT Green Bay Packers Experience: Rookie Height: 6-2 Weight: 337 College: Boston...